Former U.S. secretary of state calls for broad talks with Syria

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates: The Middle East has grown less stable during the presidency of U.S. President George W. Bush, but dramatic improvements could be made by opening broad talks with Syria, former U.S. Secretary of State James A. Baker III said here Sunday.

Once-pragmatic U.S. relations with Syria have "gone downhill" in recent years, said Baker, who is in Dubai to oversee the expansion of the Baker Botts LLP law offices. Baker is a senior partner at the Houston, Texas-based law firm.

But he said the outlines of a peace deal between Washington's biggest Mideast ally, Israel, and Syria were clear and encouraged both sides to seize the opportunity.

"There's the deal. It's all spelled out," Baker said. "This is all by way of saying we need to engage Syria."

Israel and Syria are officially at war, though there have been no open hostilities between them for decades. Syria has demanded the return of the Golan, which Israel captured in 1967 and later annexed, as the price for any peace deal.

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http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/03/11/africa/ME-GEN-Mideast-US-Syria.php

He equates Baker with his father (not the Heavenly "real" one that he really talks to) and whatever Baker suggests, * will do just the opposite.

Between Poppy and his idiot spawn. Baker is Poppy's man. Poppy has just signaled that he is tossing Dear Leader over the side.