The Syrian President’s visit to Paris during the summer of 2008 symbolized a new course in French diplomacy, and the end of the French-Syrian disagreement. However, it still has to be proven that this new situation leads to a stable political solution in Lebanon, to a more significant French influence in the area, or to speeding up the Syrian-Israeli negotiations. Uncertainties remain, such as the regime’s economic and political stability and its links with Teheran.

Judith Cahen holds a degree in Analysis of the Contemporary Arab World from Institut d’études politiques de Paris and a degree in Arabic from Pontificio Istituto di Studi Arabi ed Islamistica (PISAI) in Rome. She is now a researcher at the Northern Africa/Middle East department at Institut de recherche pour le développement (IRD).

Buy the article on CAIRN website