Syria's ambassador in Turkey

Nidal Qabalan is Syria's ambassador in Turkey.  Some in Syria are blaming him for not doing a good job in halting the deterioration of Syria's relations with Turkey.  I new the British-educated Nidal when he hosted a weekly political program on Syrian TV.  He is a very nice guy who was trying to push the limits within the constraints of the regime.  He invited me by phone, and once or twice to Damascus to the studio.  Before he became an ambassador, he would call me to appear on his show.  And I explained to him that I can't appear on Syrian TV to just attack Syria's enemies (Saudi Arabia and Hariri Inc) and that I also want to criticize the regime.  And to my surprise, I would make comments that would make it on the air.   Last time, I told him: look, I don't want to get you in trouble.  I am going to be really critical of the regime (it was about how Syria did not respond to Israeli attacks on Syrian territory).  I told him that I should not appear because I don't want to get him fired.  He insisted that I appear and I said that I will say that the regime lies.  He pleaded with me to express myself without saying that the regime lies.  I said: I am not promising you.  So I appear (via phone) and said that the regime lies.  Yet, he would keep calling me to appear on his program but I would not call back--but largely because I did not want to get him in trouble.