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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>FYI</FONT><FONT face=Arial size=2> if you are
in the Washington, DC, area.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV>----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">
<DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; font-color: black"><B>From:</B> <A
title=Communications@brookings.edu
href="mailto:Communications@brookings.edu">Communications</A> </DIV>
<DIV><B>To:</B> <A title=Communications@brookings.edu
href="mailto:Communications@brookings.edu">Communications</A> </DIV>
<DIV><B>Sent:</B> Friday, October 21, 2005 1:08 PM</DIV>
<DIV><B>Subject:</B> Brookings Briefing: Syria After Mehlis </DIV></DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV class=Section1>
<P class=MsoPlainText><FONT face="Footlight MT Light" color=navy size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt">A <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName
w:st="on">SABAN</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType
w:st="on">CENTER</st1:PlaceType></st1:place> FOR MIDDLE EAST POLICY
BRIEFING<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoPlainText><FONT face="Footlight MT Light" color=navy size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoPlainText><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region
w:st="on"><B><FONT face="Footlight MT Light" color=navy size=3><SPAN
style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Syria</SPAN></FONT></B></st1:country-region></st1:place><B><FONT
size=3><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"> After
Mehlis:<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></B></P>
<P class=MsoPlainText><B><FONT face="Footlight MT Light" color=navy size=3><SPAN
style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></B></P>
<P class=MsoPlainText><B><FONT face="Footlight MT Light" color=navy size=3><SPAN
style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">How the Lebanese Prime Minister’s
Assassination <o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></B></P>
<P class=MsoPlainText><B><FONT face="Footlight MT Light" color=navy size=3><SPAN
style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Will Affect U.S.- Syrian
Relations<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></B></P>
<P class=MsoPlainText><FONT face="Footlight MT Light" color=navy size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt"> <o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoPlainText><FONT face="Footlight MT Light" color=navy size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt"> <o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoPlainText><FONT face="Footlight MT Light" color=navy size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt">Thursday, October 27, 2005<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoPlainText><FONT face="Footlight MT Light" color=navy size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt">10:30 a.m - 12:00 p.m.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoPlainText><FONT face="Footlight MT Light" color=navy size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoPlainText><FONT face="Footlight MT Light" color=navy size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt">The Brookings Institution<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoPlainText><FONT face="Footlight MT Light" color=navy size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt">Falk Auditorium<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoPlainText><st1:Street w:st="on"><st1:address w:st="on"><FONT
face="Footlight MT Light" color=navy size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt">1775
Massachusetts Avenue, NW</SPAN></FONT></st1:address></st1:Street><o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoPlainText><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on"><FONT
face="Footlight MT Light" color=navy size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt">Washington</SPAN></FONT></st1:City>, <st1:State
w:st="on">D.C.</st1:State></st1:place><o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoPlainText><FONT face="Footlight MT Light" color=navy size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoPlainText><FONT face="Footlight MT Light" color=navy size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt">Moderator:<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoPlainText><FONT face="Footlight MT Light" color=navy size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoPlainText><FONT face="Footlight MT Light" color=navy size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt">MARTIN INDYK<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoPlainText><FONT face="Footlight MT Light" color=navy size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt">Director<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoPlainText><FONT face="Footlight MT Light" color=navy size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt">The <st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Saban</st1:PlaceName>
<st1:PlaceType w:st="on">Center</st1:PlaceType> for <st1:place w:st="on">Middle
East</st1:place> Policy<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoPlainText><FONT face="Footlight MT Light" color=navy size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt">Brookings<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoPlainText><FONT face="Footlight MT Light" color=navy size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoPlainText><FONT face="Footlight MT Light" color=navy size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt">Panelists:<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoPlainText><FONT face="Footlight MT Light" color=navy size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoPlainText><FONT face="Footlight MT Light" color=navy size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt">FLYNT LEVERETT<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoPlainText><FONT face="Footlight MT Light" color=navy size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt">Senior Fellow<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoPlainText><FONT face="Footlight MT Light" color=navy size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt">The <st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Saban</st1:PlaceName>
<st1:PlaceType w:st="on">Center</st1:PlaceType> for <st1:place w:st="on">Middle
East</st1:place> Policy<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoPlainText><FONT face="Footlight MT Light" color=navy size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt">Brookings<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoPlainText><FONT face="Footlight MT Light" color=navy size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoPlainText><FONT face="Footlight MT Light" color=navy size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt">AMMAR ABDULHAMID<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoPlainText><FONT face="Footlight MT Light" color=navy size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt">Visiting Fellow<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoPlainText><FONT face="Footlight MT Light" color=navy size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt">The <st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Saban</st1:PlaceName>
<st1:PlaceType w:st="on">Center</st1:PlaceType> for <st1:place w:st="on">Middle
East</st1:place> Policy<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoPlainText><FONT face="Footlight MT Light" color=navy size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt">Brookings<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoPlainText><FONT face="Footlight MT Light" color=navy size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoPlainText><FONT face="Footlight MT Light" color=navy size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt">The United Nations released their report on the inquiry
into the February 14, 2005 assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq
Hariri and it will have grave implications for <st1:place
w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Syria</st1:country-region></st1:place>.
The investigation, led by Detlev Mehlis, a prosecutor from <st1:place
w:st="on"><st1:country-region
w:st="on">Germany</st1:country-region></st1:place>, delivered a scathing report
detailing high-level Syrian involvement in the murder of Hariri. This report
could trigger international sanctions against <st1:place
w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Syria</st1:country-region></st1:place>.
Former Senior Director for Near Eastern Affairs under George W. Bush and
Brookings Senior Fellow <st1:PersonName w:st="on">Flynt
Leverett</st1:PersonName>, in addition to Ammar Abdulhamid, a Syrian expert on
minorities and human rights in the Middle East and visiting fellow in the Arab
Democracy and Development project at Brookings, will discuss the implications of
the Mehlis investigation for Syrian and <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region
w:st="on">U.S.</st1:country-region></st1:place> policy. Martin Indyk, director
of the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Saban</st1:PlaceName>
<st1:PlaceType w:st="on">Center</st1:PlaceType></st1:place>, will moderate the
discussion.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoPlainText><FONT face="Footlight MT Light" color=navy size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoPlainText><FONT face="Footlight MT Light" color=navy size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt">How the Bush Administration responds to the Mehlis
report will have a potentially profound impact on its <st1:country-region
w:st="on">Iraq</st1:country-region> policy and its wider efforts to promote
democracy in the <st1:place w:st="on">Middle East</st1:place>. The report could
bolster the administration to force Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to
cooperate with the inquiry, end alleged meddling in <st1:country-region
w:st="on">Lebanon</st1:country-region> and <st1:place
w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Iraq</st1:country-region></st1:place>,
and halt support for Palestinian militants. The investigation appears to have
already affected Syrian politics, raising the possibility of changes inside the
regime. One leading official who had been deeply involved in <st1:country-region
w:st="on">Syria</st1:country-region>’s <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region
w:st="on">Lebanon</st1:country-region></st1:place> policy, the interior
minister, Ghazi Kanaan, reportedly committed suicide on October 12.
<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoPlainText><FONT face="Footlight MT Light" color=navy size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoPlainText><FONT face="Footlight MT Light" color=navy size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt">Leverett is a leading authoring on <st1:place
w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Syria</st1:country-region></st1:place>
and recently authored Inheriting Syria: Bashar’s Trial by Fire (Brookings, 2005)
which gives a detailed analysis of the Syrian regime. Ammar Abdulhamid is head
of the Damascus-based DarEmar publishing house, and is a well-known advocate for
minority rights, democratization, and stronger civil society in <st1:place
w:st="on"><st1:country-region
w:st="on">Syria</st1:country-region></st1:place>. Both will talk in depth
on the repercussions of the report and the future of foreign policy between the
nations.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoPlainText><FONT face="Footlight MT Light" color=navy size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoPlainText><FONT face="Footlight MT Light" color=navy size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt">A question and answer session will follow remarks.
<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoPlainText><FONT face="Footlight MT Light" color=navy size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoPlainText><FONT face="Footlight MT Light" color=navy size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoPlainText><FONT face="Footlight MT Light" color=navy size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt">RSVP: Please call the. Brookings Office of
Communications, 202/797-6105, or by e-mail at communications@brookings.edu or
online at <A
href="http://www.brookings.edu/eventregistration">http://www.brookings.edu/eventregistration</A>
<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Footlight MT Light" color=navy size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: 'Footlight MT Light'"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Footlight MT Light" color=navy size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: 'Footlight MT Light'"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Footlight MT Light" color=navy size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: 'Footlight MT Light'">************************************************</SPAN></FONT><FONT
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<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Footlight MT Light" color=navy size=2><SPAN
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<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Footlight MT Light" color=navy size=2><SPAN
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<st1:State w:st="on">DC</st1:State> <st1:PostalCode
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