Subscribe to Print Edition | Fri., May 11, 2007 Iyyar 23, 5767 | | Israel Time: 03:55 (EST+7)
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Syrian President Bashar Assad reviewing an honor guard in front of parliament on Thursday. (Reuters)
Last update - 14:32 10/05/2007
Assad: Israeli government too weak to make peace with Syria
By DPA

Syrian President Bashar Assad said Thursday that the Israeli government was too weak to make peace with Syria, stressing that negotiations must resume from the point they had last reached in 2000.

"There is no progress in the peace process and there is no contact with Israel over this issue, neither secret nor overt, because Israel is not ready for a just and comprehensive peace that requires, to be implemented, strong leadership that could make decisive decisions," Assad said, addressing the first session of the parliament's 9th legislative four-year term.

He warned that "weak governments in Israel are capable of launching aggression ... we should be cautious."

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He said that Israel would be required to show a "clear and unequivocal readiness to give back the occupied land to the 1967 borders. The return of the Golan is nonnegotiable for us."

Assad made it clear that Syria had no conditions for resuming peace talks with Israel, but added that the peace process had "requirements which are bases and principles that Syria could never abandon."

"Returning to the zero point is impossible. Negotiations must resume from where they had stopped," he said.

Assad said the policy of isolating Syria "has faced nothing but failure," adding that he "who wants to isolate Syria is in fact isolating himself from the region's issues, because Syria has its role."

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Spinning wheels
New car costs equal 21 monthly salaries, as expensive, relatively, as in 1990.
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N.G.'s menu is tailored for meat lovers; Pastorious became a bistro after a makeover.
  1.   Peace will come when Arab media and education promotes it 14:33  |  Mike 10/05/07
  2.   Look who`s talking! 14:39  |  Dani Reiss 10/05/07
  3.   No preconditions but everything`s nonnegotiable-an arab jumbo-mum 14:41  |  Absolute Sweden 10/05/07
  4.   1967 Lines are not Negotiable 14:42  |  Sam Weinstein 10/05/07
  5.   What "1967 lines"? Israel and Syria have international border 14:49  |  Shlomo from Tel-Aviv 10/05/07
  6.   Assad the warrior not the peacemaker. 14:53  |  Robert Fattal 10/05/07
  7.   Syria not ready for peace 14:58  |  daniel 10/05/07
  8.   HE`S RIGHT 15:03  |  indrajaya 10/05/07
  9.   Assad and how to deal with him 15:26  |  Larry 10/05/07
  10.   The U.S. Is Blocking Peace Talks With Syria 15:29  |  Arik 10/05/07
  11.   NO to 1967 crap 15:30  |  Brod 10/05/07
  12.   Walking the walk and talking the talk 15:30  |  Larry 10/05/07
  13.   syria 15:35  |  Jamal Shannarah 10/05/07
  14.   Assad is right! 15:46  |  Dutch Dirk 10/05/07
  15.   "no conditions" except for all the conditions he lists! 15:46  |  McQueen 10/05/07
  16.   #2 Indrajaya fool, send message to Assad somewhere else 15:48  |  McQueen 10/05/07
  17.   Iraq and Syria - USA sanctions for one more year on Syria 16:11  |  Anonymous 10/05/07
  18.   olmert is in no position to do anything 16:27  |  gabistan 10/05/07
  19.   The Banias falls are beautiful this time of year 16:29  |  Richard S 10/05/07
  20.   if you read history of Golan it is a Jewish territory 16:33  |  r 10/05/07
  21.   Some people live in the past 16:38  |  Ben 10/05/07
  22.   # 16, MCQUEEN 16:50  |  indrajaya 10/05/07
  23.   # 16, MCQUEEN 16:50  |  indrajaya 10/05/07
  24.   And Syria`sgovernment is too strong f 16:52  |  Marco 10/05/07
  25.   #15 McQueen 17:52  |  * BEN JABO 10/05/07
  26.   Syria said the same thing regarding Alexandretta and Turkey 18:10  |  Ken Jurist 10/05/07
  27.   peace with syria 18:15  |  Shmuelshachor 10/05/07
  28.   Syria`s 1967 Agression Should Not Go Unpenalized 18:21  |  Solon 10/05/07
  29.   The return of the Golan is nonnegotiable for us." 18:36  |  Chick Corea 10/05/07
  30.   amusing--turnabout is fair play 19:05  |  Paul Freedman 10/05/07
  31.   sweet poetry but peace what is peace RIGHT ??? 19:08  |  M. Segal 10/05/07
  32.   Syrias policy 19:55  |  Abu Yusuf 10/05/07
  33.   Assad jr is no peacemaker 19:58  |  David 10/05/07
  34.   Assad is in fantasy land 20:03  |  Shepherd 10/05/07
  35.   TO NO 6 ASSAD THE WARRIOR. 21:43  |  DANNY. 10/05/07
  36.   Oh Reaaaaly? 21:48  |  Yosemite 10/05/07
  37.   CAN YOU BELIEVE THIS MAN ONCE FITTED SPECTACLES ?? 21:59  |  paul harris 10/05/07
  38.   Israel must negotiate with Syria - to survive 22:34  |  Hardy 10/05/07
  39.   33 ASSAD JUNIOR IS NO 22:41  |  DANNY. 10/05/07
  40.   # 25 ben jabo 22:46  |  Axel 10/05/07
  41.   No doubt about that 23:29  |  Mark Lincoln 10/05/07
  42.   #40 Axel - if only you knew 01:32  |  * BEN JABO 11/05/07
  43.   #25-2 Axel 02:36  |  * BEN JABO 11/05/07
  44.   #38 Hardy "WE have to" 02:45  |  * BEN JABO 11/05/07
  45.   #41 Mark Lincoln 03:04  |  * BEN JABO 11/05/07
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