Last update - 00:00 19/03/2007
Report: Assad says expects little progress in peace talks in next two years
By The Associated Press
Syrian President Bashar Assad said in an interview published Monday that he does not expect movement on the peace process in the next two years, calling the United States the main obstacle to a Middle East peace.
Assad's remarks dampen hopes that a summit of Arab leaders set for March 28-29 in the Saudi capital can build momentum for reviving the peace process between Israel and Arab nations.
The summit is expected to relaunch a Saudi peace plan adopted by the Arab League in 2002. At the same time, Arab countries are pushing Washington to deal with a new Palestinian Authority unity government that includes the Hamas movement.
In an interview with the Saudi newspaper Al-Jazira, Assad said "the main obstacle, in my opinion, regarding the peace process, is the ... American administration's rejection of the peace process."
"There's an American administration without a vision, and the U.S. administration, unfortunately, is central to all peace processes in the region," he said, according to the paper.
Assad said that international envoys have shuttled between Syria and Israel, carrying each country's point of view regarding peace to the other. But he said nothing concrete has happened on the ground especially since "the current Israeli government is the weakest in Israel's history."
"They [envoys] openly said, quoting [Prime Minister Ehud] Olmert, that the decision is in Washington," said Assad, according to the newspaper.
Assad said he hasn't lost hope that peace would prevail, but he said prospects for that in the next two years do not look rosy.
"The issue of peace in at least the next two years doesn't call for optimism unless there are unexpected changes," said Assad, warning that delay in resolving the conflict would increase tensions and tensions will increase extremism.
U.S. allies Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Jordan have increasingly warned Washington that militancy in the Middle East will grow unless progress is made in the peace process.
Israel suggested earlier this month that it could accept the 2002 Arab peace initiative if some changes were made in it, particularly over its call for the return of Palestinian refugees. That has sparked a debate among Arab governments over whether to amend the peace plan, though change appears unlikely.
The initiative is a set of principles that offers Israel full recognition and peace with all Arabs in return for an Israeli withdrawal to the pre-1967 boundaries and an agreed, just solution to the Palestinian refugee problem in accordance with United Nations General Assembly Resolution 194 of 1948.