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Last update - 19:20 24/06/2009
Syria: There is no Israeli partner for peace
By Reuters
Tags: Benjamin Netanyahu 

Syrian President Bashar Assad said on Wednesday that Damascus could not make peace with Israel because of the latter's refusal to commit to an internationally recognized settlement.

"Achieving peace requires an Israeli partner and commitment to international law, United Nations resolutions and the land for peace principles," Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said after meeting his Greek counterpart Karolos Papoulias.

"This Israeli partner does not currently exist," he added.
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Syria has repeatedly said it wants to resume peace talks with Israel while demanding a commitment from for its withdrawal from the whole of the Golan Heights, which were captured by Israel in the 1967 Six-Day War.

Turkey, which mediated indirect talks between the two enemies that were suspended in December 2008, said this month it was still keen to resume mediation.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu offered in May to talk to Syria but indicated he would not make any commitments on land first. His foreign minister, Avigdor Lieberman, blamed what he termed Syrian manoeuvres for not returning to negotiations.

On Tuesday, Dutch foreign minister Maxime Verhagen said that Assad had informed him during his visit to Damascus this week that Syria is in fact interested in restarting the peace talks with Israel.

President Barack Obama, meanwhile, has decided to return a U.S. ambassador to Syria after a four-year hiatus as talks between the two nations intensify, U.S. media reported on Tuesday.

The State Department informed Syria's ambassador to Washington, Imad Mustafa, of Obama's intention on Tuesday night, a senior administration official told the Washington Post.

Moustapha said that U.S.-Syrian relations were headed in the right direction and away from the freeze during the Bush administration.

"Nevertheless," Mustapha said, "It is still difficult to talk about radical change in the relationship but we can talk about advancing in small, but consecutive and positive steps."

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      1.   The guy is right, you`d thought that in 1 year some many roles 17:09  |  ez 24/06/09
      2.   Political posturing 17:49  |  Arnold 24/06/09
      3.   Assad the hypocrite 17:51  |  Chappaqua neighbor 24/06/09
      4.   True 17:52  |  Peter 24/06/09
      5.   How can one make peace with people 17:59  |  Boris 24/06/09
      6.   Assad`s curious game 18:01  |  Mark Lincoln 24/06/09
      7.   Syria and its actions. If plans to attack again so 18:41  |  JP 24/06/09
      8.   Assad correct. Peace depends on return to `67 lines 18:47  |  Ivar 24/06/09
      9.   Land for Peace is an Arab concept 18:48  |  Mark 24/06/09
      10.   Good 18:52  |  Michael 24/06/09
      11.   Syria 18:57  |  Brendan 24/06/09
      12.   Syria: There is no Israeli partner for peace 19:21  |  David Bowes 24/06/09
      13.   Assad is in no hurry 19:29  |  Axel 24/06/09
      14.   you mean no partner for piece 19:41  |  peace 24/06/09
      15.   syria needs to know the TRUTH 19:50  |  DOV KORET 24/06/09
      16.   To Boris 20:11  |  Harold 24/06/09
      17.   242 DOESN`T SAY ALL THE LAND FOR PEACE 20:15  |  Ian 24/06/09
      18.   The Golan is Israel now. Syria never was, nor is a peace partner 21:12  |  Jason 24/06/09
      19.   Another Obama mistake 21:26  |  Joshua 24/06/09
      20.   of course 21:41  |  patriot 24/06/09
      21.   no pre conditions 21:44  |  oz 24/06/09
      22.   # 12 ian 21:54  |  Axel 24/06/09
      23.   Sorry, no Golan`s wine for Syria 22:32  |  JP 24/06/09
      24.   Lets call a spade a spade.. 02:55  |  David 25/06/09
      25.   they will never give up 04:18  |  Capt Ahab 25/06/09
      26.   There will be no peace with Syria 11:51  |  Michael O`Hara 25/06/09
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