A lot of information about Syria and the Arab world is being disseminated by the media, but it is difficult to determine whether or not it is biased. Syria sits between fractious neighbours, all in ferment, and whatever be the result of these protests, it is bound to affect the whole region. The next six months are crucial – for Syria and all its neighbours (Lebanon, Turkey, Iraq, Jordan and Israel).
Gateway House hosted a private meeting with former Ambassador Rajendra Abhyankar on September 6. Ambassador Abhyankar, India’s Ambassador to Syria from 1992 to 1996, visited Damascus from 21 to 24 August 2011, from the invitation of the Assad government. From this unique perch, he shared his impressions of the Syrian situation and analysed its impact on the larger developments in the Arab world.