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Last update - 19:34 07/07/2009
Syria: No peace talks until Israel halts settlement activity
By News Agencies
Tags: Germany, Hezbollah 

Syrian President Bashar Assad said on Tuesday that Israel must halt activity in West Bank settlements before Damascus considers renewing peace negotiations.

Assad told visiting German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier there is no real partner in Israel to make peace, repeating remarks he made last week.

Syria has said it is willing to resume indirect peace talks mediated by Turkey as long as they focus on a complete Israeli withdrawal from the Golan Heights, a strategic plateau captured by Israel in the 1967 Six-Day War.
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Steinmeier, meanwhile, declared during the meeting that regional entities must not waste in laying the groundwork for Middle East peace, adding that none of the sides involved could afford to push off the process of negotiations for another year.

After meeting Monday with Assad and Foreign Minister Walid Moallem, Steinmeir called on the leadership in Damascus to do everything in its power to ensure a quick peace process.

Efforts must be made to "keep the region's destructive might must be kept to a minimum," he told the Syrian leaders, referring by name to Hezbollah, a Lebanese-based organization that draws support from Syria, as well as the radical Islamist Palestinian Hamas movement.

During a bilateral meeting with Assad, the two leaders were unable to come to agreement about the possibility of the resumption of Israeli-Syrian contacts. Those were suspended after Israel's military assault on the Gaza Strip earlier this year.

Steinmeier said he has doubts whether a Turkish mediator could make any advances in this area.

Moallem said there was only a limited window of opportunity to achieve Middle East peace and said Israel was wasting time. At the same time, he said Syria would not give up its claim to the Golan Heights, captured by Israel in the 1967 Six-Day War.

President Simon Peres told Steinmeier on Sunday that Assad must understand that Israel would not hand the Heights over to Syria on a
"silver platter."

In response, Moallem told his German counterpart that Syria did not want the Golan on a silver platter, but on gold.

Steinmeier also visited Lebanon on Tuesday, where he is supposed to meet with prime minister-designate Saad Hariri.

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      1.   No mediators needed for peace 16:55  |  Mark Jeffery Koch 07/07/09
      2.   Israel has the greatest destructive might in the area 18:03  |  Miggy 07/07/09
      3.   For Israel Holding the Golan is more important than peace. 18:17  |  B. Gold 07/07/09
      4.   Well, is that not Iran`s call? 18:31  |  Mark B. 07/07/09
      5.   That`s What They All Say 18:45  |  Jeff Northridge 07/07/09
      6.   Syria Crap 18:53  |  Brod 07/07/09
      7.   Assad is only asking what everyone else is asking. 19:02  |  Labhras 07/07/09
      8.   Halt Settlement Activity? 19:09  |  Jonny Gee 07/07/09
      9.   Then it is no talks 19:32  |  Mark Lincoln 07/07/09
      10.   Germany, which is not surrounded by enemies, should stay out 19:39  |  Jason 07/07/09
      11.   # 3 b.gold 19:46  |  Axel 07/07/09
      12.   Syria can hold its breath until... 20:01  |  Tal 07/07/09
      13.   Syria has nothing to give in exchange 20:10  |  Joe 07/07/09
      14.   Let us ask a theoretical question... 20:40  |  Tzfonit 07/07/09
      15.   not silver, but gold... 20:43  |  Tony 07/07/09
      16.   first tangible result of Obama policy 20:57  |  CM 07/07/09
      17.   What West Bank Settlements????? 21:14  |  Col [Res] Cohen 07/07/09
      18.   to Tony (gold)! ..... 21:43  |  Tony Silver 07/07/09
      19.   Obama and Assad, 2 peas in the pod 21:46  |  Ses 07/07/09
      20.   Shove It, Syria 21:47  |  SDunc 07/07/09
      21.   Labhras your gossip is repelent 21:53  |  Israeli citizen 07/07/09
      22.   Playing Israel using their own rules. 22:20  |  Labhras 07/07/09
      23.   QUID PRO QUO 22:29  |  PATRIOT 07/07/09
      24.   Assad 22:42  |  oz 07/07/09
      25.   Mark Lincoln & the immaturity of the Syrians 22:43  |  Brad 07/07/09
      26.   Who started? 22:47  |  robk 07/07/09
      27.   Syria does NOT want peace. Meet PM in Jerusalem or go away 22:49  |  David 07/07/09
      28.   Israel needs peace talks with Syria like a fish needs a bicycle! 23:12  |  Voice of Reason 07/07/09
      29.   #7 labarse of arabia and the remarkable talent for knowing 23:21  |  v hardman 07/07/09
      30.   Tzfonit # 14 Theorectical Indeed 23:26  |  Jeff Northridge 07/07/09
      31.   Syria Will Get Everything It Deserves 23:33  |  Bill Foonman 07/07/09
      32.   #10 Jason, it is more complicated 23:34  |  christoph 07/07/09
      33.   The FM of Syria is so corrupt that what he really meant was: 00:18  |  a Banker 08/07/09
      34.   Basically Steinmeier is wasting his time 00:41  |  joki 08/07/09
      35.   Cynicism with a big "C" 00:44  |  Boris 08/07/09
      36.   Labhras # 7 Let Me Help Your Twisted Brain 00:48  |  Jeff Northridge 08/07/09
      37.   syria 01:03  |  dave 08/07/09
      38.   Labrarse, it`s been gloves off with Israel every day for 6 months 01:06  |  Nemesis 08/07/09
      39.   #19 QUID PRO QUO 01:32  |  Roger 08/07/09
      40.   whether of silver /gold syria has to come to the table w/its own 02:20  |  ivo 08/07/09
      41.   Syria Has Right Idea 02:22  |  Marc Leb 08/07/09
      42.   #14 You astonish, Tzfonit. 03:13  |  Johnboy 08/07/09
      43.   Forget it then. They can go and GET LOST !!! 03:17  |  Alfredo 08/07/09
      44.   Syria`s Welcome To Sit Out The Peace Talks! 03:27  |  Heather Czerniak 08/07/09
      45.   Israel should put Settlement in the Golan Heights. 04:35  |  The Negotiator 08/07/09
      46.   Assad 04:36  |  Michelle 08/07/09
      47.   Syria should stop its expansion ... 04:39  |  Jasper 08/07/09
      48.   Bravo for Assad! Obama needs to learn from Syria! 10:58  |  Ivar 08/07/09
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