Article passionnant de Sami Kleib, généralement bien informé, sur le rôle discret joué par la direction palestinienne dans les négociations sur la Syrie... mais où l’on apprend surtout (en tout cas c’est une découverte pour moi) que c’est le Comité de Coordination Nationale (Haytham Manna’, Hassan ’Abd ul-’Azim... « l’opposition interne ») qui était à l’origine, via des contacts avec l’ambassadeur russe à Beyrouth, du plan de sécurisation des armes chimiques.
On September 4, 2013, when the threat of foreign military intervention in Syria was at its peak, Rajaa Nasser from the NCC telephoned Nidal al-Sabeh, Abu Mazen’s point man in Lebanon, asking for an urgent appointment with Russian Ambassador Alexander Zasypkin. Nasser was given an appointment two days later, and was joined by Sabeh and Hassan Abdul-Azim at the embassy.
During the meeting, a proposal was put forward whereby the Syrian government would place its chemical weapons under the control of Russian inspectors, until the conflict is resolved based on Geneva II. A three-point proposal was discussed: first, surrendering chemical weapons; second, convening Geneva II as soon as possible; and third, implementing a cease-fire.
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Less than 24 hours later, on September 7, 2013, the Russian ambassador contacted the Palestinian mediator. The time was 7 am. He said, “Lavrov is attending the G20 meeting, and is with me on the line. He wants the NCC’s draft for the chemical weapons initiative. They have to declare it.”
Sabeh contacted Rajaa Nasser, who sent the initiative’s text by email. The sender was revealed to be none other than Haitham al-Mannaa, the NCC’s coordinator abroad.
