Mr. Yakan’s Loaded Statement

The Syrian ally made a statement that can be read in two ways.

Today Naharnet posted this statement by Mr. Yakan:

Islamic Scholar Fathi Yakan on Thursday called for electing Army Commander Gen. Michel Suleiman President on April 22, the date set by Speaker Nabih Berri to choose a new head of state.
Yakan said his decision came against the backdrop of Washington’s “insistence on rejecting presidential elections and on allowing the Saniora government to handle all presidential powers.”

Electing a new President, according to Yakan, will “also help control the security situation, which is open to all possibilities.”

Optimists can see this as a hint of a turnaround in the Syrian position. They can argue for instance that by framing the concession as a way of preventing Mr. Seniora from assuming more power, the Syrians are attempting to save face.

But a harder look at the statement, especially at the second part — which reads like a classic threat — , one could reach a different conclusion: Mr. Yakan probably meant: “If you don’t elect Mr. Sleiman under our terms (the infamous basket solution that includes the blocking third of ministries) by the 22nd of April, we will release “Al-Qaeda” back on you.