The New Nation - Internet Edition

AFP, Damascus

Emerging from international isolation with a flurry of high-level Western visitors and ties boosted with Turkey, Syria has gained in confidence to the point of holding out on an EU partnership.

The European Union hoped to sign a partnership accord on October 26, after a freeze of several years by the EU side, but the Syrian side now insists it must review the terms to protect its interests.

Damascus and the EU first drew up a draft partnership pact in 2004 but it was never signed by European countries, amid concerns by some nations of human rights abuses in Syria.

While stalling on the EU deal, Syria has been working full steam ahead to develop relations with the major powers in its back yard.

Already a strategic ally of Iran, Syria on October 8 hosted King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia, resulting in a joint call for the speedy formation of a unity government in Lebanon where the two countries have rival interests.

Ties with Turkey have also been strengthened with the launch of a high-level strategic cooperation council.

The two neighbours, whose relations were strained in the 1980s and 1990s over a Kurdish revolt in Turkey, for the first time held joint military exercises in April.

Last year, Turkey hosted and mediated indirect contacts between Syria and Israel on relaunching US-brokered peace talks that broke off in 2000. They were frozen in December following the outbreak of the Gaza war.

Seen from Damascus, solid ties with a Turkey that is gaining strength as an economic power "make links with Europe less important," explained Riad Qahwaji, director of the Dubai-based Institute for Near East and Gulf Military Analysis.

"Syria does not have to make political concessions," he said, referring to European human rights demands.