Damascus — French Ambassador Jean-Claude Cousseran will arrive in the Syrian capital Damascus as special envoy of the French president at the beginning of September to monitor the peace process between Syria and Israel and probe ways of re-launching talks on the Syrian-Israeli track. Cousseran will begin his mission by embarking on a shuttle tour to Ankara and Tel Aviv, before arriving in Damascus. Following the Jerusalem talks this week, U.S. envoy George Mitchell was expected to fly to Syria for a meeting with President Bashar al-Assad on Thursday, the U.S. embassy in Damascus said. Mitchell’s visit is aimed at reviving Syria’s talks with Israel, a senior U.S. official told reporters on condition of anonymity.

Paris hopes that Cousseran will be able to convince the Syrians and Israelis to return to indirect talks sponsored by Turkey that will pave the way to direct negotiations.

For its part, Paris denied that Cousseran would mediate between Damascus and Tel Aviv or be a messenger between the two capitals.  The envoy is expected to draft a plan and suggestions that could help restart negotiations that have been stalled for some 18 months.

According to French sources, while in Damascus Cousseran will focus on obtaining guarantees from the Syrians that they will not reject indirect talks, convincing them of the need to move to direct negotiations as soon as possible. Paris also briefed Israel and the U.S., as well as Turkey, which is playing a key mediating role in indirect talks at the behest of Damascus that refuses the interference of any other European state.

The source described Cousseran as the best man for the job since he served as consular-general to Jerusalem in 1986, ambassador to Damascus in 1993, ambassador to Ankara in 1999 and ambassador to Cairo in 2002.

A senior French diplomatic source stated that French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner will personally oversee the French envoy’s work, and that Cousseran’s assignment in the region will last almost one year. The source told Al-Ahram Weekly that “it’s difficult to predict” whether the envoy’s efforts are likely to succeed or fail in bringing back Israel and Syria to the negotiating table through Turkish mediation.

Three years ago, Turkish efforts succeeded in launching indirect dialogue between Syria and Israel. But despite several rounds of these talks, Operation Cast Lead — the war launched by Israel against Gaza at the end of 2008 and beginning of 2009 — brought negotiations to a halt. Meanwhile, tensions between Turkey and Israel also rose as Ankara supported the Palestinians and developed ties with the Palestinian group Hamas.

Subsequently, Turkey cancelled joint war games with Israel and was angered recently by attack on the Free Gaza Flotilla that killed nine Turkish activists. Washington was unable to bridge the gap.