US awaits 'change of Syrian behaviour’
Afp, Washington
The United States' government on Monday said it was awaiting a "change of behaviour" from Syria, which the administration of President George W. Bush has frequently criticised for allowing insurgents to cross its border into neighbouring Iraq. "What we're interested in seeing is change of behaviour in Syria," US State Department spokesman Sean McCormack told reporters here. The spokesman was quizzed after the Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported US officials have held talks with Israeli counterparts about the prospect of a regime change in Damascus and possible successors to President Bashar al-Assad. Israeli government sources quoted by the Haaretz daily said senior American officials had expressed interest in Israel's assessment of possible successors to Assad, asking them who they believed could maintain regional stability. Asked about the reported contacts with Israel on Syria, McCormack replied: "No, I can't confirm any such discussions. Again, I have no information that there were any such discussions." The Israelis had in turn indicated that they would prefer to see a weakened Assad in power, believing that the regime in Damascus would be greatly embarrassed by an upcoming UN report into the February assassination of the former Lebanese premier Rafiq Hariri, according to Haaretz. There have been widespread allegations in Lebanon that Damascus had a hand in the killing.
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