Syrian ambassador cool on sanctions

WASHINGTON, March 25 (UPI) -- With his country staring down the barrel of U.S. sanctions, Syrian Ambassador-designate Imad Moustapha said Thursday the two nations would continue to cooperate despite the impending announcement.

"We in Syria believe that we want to improve our relations with the United States," he told reporters outside the U.S. State Department following a courtesy call on Secretary of State Colin Powell. "We want constructive relations with the United States."

Moustapha denied he had discussed with Powell the issue of impending U.S. sanctions mandated by the Syria Accountability Act of 2003.

"We discussed ... mutual relations and issues that have come up between us and them; issues that need to be addressed," he said. "Very important issues like the peace process in the Middle East and the reform agenda in the Middle East."

The comments came a day after a senior State Department official testified to Congress that the act would be implemented soon.

"I think you'll see the implementation very shortly, and I think it will be a very firm implementation of the Syrian Accountability Act and the intent behind it," Assistant Secretary of State William Burns told the House International Relations Committee.

Last November, Congress passed the Syria Accountability and Lebanese Sovereignty Restoration Act, which was signed by President Bush the following month. The act aims to punish Damascus for its support of militant groups in the Middle East such as Hamas and Hezbollah, which are on the U.S. State Department's list of foreign terrorist organizations; its military presence in neighboring Lebanon where it has some 20,000 troops; and its alleged attempts to make weapons of mass destruction. Washington regards Syria as a state sponsor of terrorism. Washington has also accused Damascus of not doing enough to curb the influx of militants from Syria into Iraq, which is under U.S. occupation.

Moustapha said infiltration from Syria had decreased, adding cooperation with the United States would continue irrespective of the sanctions.

"Whatever the Congress wants to do, we are committed to improving relations," he said.

The Syrian diplomat said even if sanctions were imposed, the modes of communication between the two sides would remain open.

"From what I understood after speaking with Secretary Powell, ... all channels are still open," Moustapha said. "They are functional and very important and useful to both countries."

He added, "When we decided to cooperate with the United States on certain issues we did so because of our convictions, not from fear of sanctions."

On Sunday, Syrian Vice President Abdul-Halim Khaddam dismissed the importance of sanctions.

"It will have no effect whatsoever," he said. "No one can punish Syria. No state can punish another state."

The law forbids the United States to sell Syria items that can be used to make weapons. It wants to stop the export of products of the United States, except food and medicine, to Syria as well prohibit American businesses from investing or operating in Syria. And it seeks to restrict the travel of Syrian diplomats assigned to Washington and the United Nations and reduce U.S. diplomatic contacts with Syria.

The law allows the president to waive portions of the sanctions if they are deemed to be in the U.S. national interest.