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Deputy FM: Assad wants only peace process, not actual peace accord By Haaretz Staff and Agencies Deputy Foreign Minister Daniel Ayalon said yesterday that Syrian President Bashar Assad was interested only in conducting a peace process with Israel, but not in actually reaching a peace accord. "The Syrian president fully realizes that the price of peace would be opening up to the West, which is a threat to the stability of his regime," said Ayalon during a lecture in Be'er Sheva. Advertisement "However, by engaging in a peace process, he believes he would be able to extricate Syria from its international isolation." Ayalon's comments came after Assad said Friday he could not set a date for resuming indirect peace talks with Israel because there was no one to talk to. "We cannot talk about a date [for resuming the talks] because we don't have a partner," Assad said during a joint press conference with Turkish President Abdullah Gul in Damascus. But he added, "Syria is keen about peace as much as it is keen about the return of its occupied territories." Assad was referring to the Golan Heights, which Israel captured during the 1967 Six-Day War. The Syrian leader also said Israel's three-week-long offensive against Hamas in Gaza had prevented the Turkish-mediated talks from moving to a direct phase. The negotiations were formally suspended during the campaign, which halted in January. Meanwhile, Gul urged Israel on Friday to work toward resuming the peace talks, and said Ankara was ready to continue its role as a mediator between the two parties. "Israel has to show clearly it is a partner," said Gul. "We have heard Syria say it is ready to resume the peace talks from the point where they stopped with the previous [Israeli] government. We in Turkey are also ready," Gul added, speaking through a translator. Bookmark to del.icio.us   Conflicting messages Obama: I cannot tell Israel not to fear Teheran's nuclear ambitions Islamic Idol Arab pop music video channel airs Islamic version of American Idol.

Read & React Netanyahu unlikely to back Palestinian state at Obama meeting Responses: 140 Amira Hass / Israel won't let books, music, clothes into Gaza Responses: 138 Peace Now: 'Natural growth' - Israel's trick for W. Bank expansion Responses: 90 Nadav Shragai: Israel must populate its mixed Arab-Jewish towns with more Jews Responses: 22 More Headlines 00:06 Aide: Obama, Netanyahu to focus on Iran threat 00:17 Obama: I can't tell Israel not to fear Iran 21:01 Poll: 40% of Israeli Arabs believe Holocaust never happened 22:20 IDF reservists to Barak: Renew Shalit talks immediately 19:44 Peres: If Assad wants Israel-Syria peace, why is he shy? 19:35 IN PICTURES / When Israeli premiers meet American presidents 22:08 Iran presidential hopeful, 12, wants to move Israel to Hawaii 00:06 WATCH: Daily news round-up from Israel 23:19 'Egypt entices Palestinians to unite with Gaza crossings pledge' 22:22 Blair: Political process must accompany 'economic peace' 19:40 During murder trial, witness tells of Rose Pizem's sorrows at home 17:19 Upon return from Holy Land, pope repeats call for Mideast peace 14:59 'Islamic Idol' a hit on world's first Muslim pop music channel Previous Editions Select Day 17 may 15 may 14 may 13 may 12 may 11 may 10 may 08 may 07 may 06 may 05 may 04 may

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