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Syrian Deputy FM Ahmad Arnous speaking to reporters following his meeting with Greek FM Dora Bakoyanni on Tuesday. (AP)
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Senior Syrian official: Damascus ready for peace talks with Israel
By Aluf Benn and Avirama Golan, Haaretz Correspondents, and Reuters

A senior Syrian official said Tuesday that Damascus was ready for peace talks with Israel but without any preconditions.

"Syria is ready for negotiations and ready for peace based on the Madrid (peace conference) principles and international (UN) resolutions without conditions," Syrian Assistant Foreign Minister Ahmad Arnous said.

Official peace talks between Israel and Syria were suspended indefinitely in January 2000.

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"Syria is prepared to resume talks, without any conditions, according to the land-for-peace principle and to achieve stability and security in the region," Arnous said in the first official reaction to an Israeli offer for talks.

Arnous, speaking to reporters after he met Greek Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyanni, would not be drawn on whether Syria had sent a response to Israeli peace offers through any of the numerous diplomats or foreign officials who have visited Damascus recently.

But he emphasised Syria's eagerness to strike a deal that returns the Golan Heights, captured by Israel from Syria in 1967.

"President Bashar al-Assad has been frank and clear about Syria's willingness to resume negotiations according to the Madrid principles and international resolutions," Arnous said.

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert sent a new message to Syrian President Bashar Assad, in which "interesting nuances" were included, according to a senior political source in Jerusalem. The message was sent through Greek Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis, who visited Israel on Monday and then traveled to Damascus.

According to a senior political source in Jerusalem, the message was sent through Greek Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis, who visited Israel Monday and then traveled to Damascus. Bakoyannis was said to have told Olmert that she is interested in furthering peace, and in response he gave her a message for Assad. Greece and Syria have had cordial relations for many years.

On Tuesday, Israel Radio quoted unnamed aides to Olmert Tuesday as denying the report. There was no immediate elaboration.

Also responding to the report, Greek Foreign Ministry spokesman George Koumoutsakos, who is accompanying Bakoyannis on her Middle Eastern tour, told Haaretz in a phone interview from Damascus that he was surprised at the news.

"Greece and its foreign minister, Ms. Dora Bakoyannis, are not mediators or envoys in the region. The only message that the foreign minister delivered to the president of Syria is one from the Greek government and the European Union, regarding the need to further peace and stability in the area."

Two months ago, Olmert sent a message to Assad through the Turkish government and another interlocutor, asking whether Damascus would agree to break off its alliance with Iran and cease its support for Hezbollah and Palestinian militant organizations for the "price of peace" (a return of the Golan Heights).

Last week, American officials told their Israeli counterparts during a periodic meeting of the strategic dialogue forum, that they consider bolstering the government of Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora a priority, and are worried about Syrian and Iranian efforts to undermine his authority.

The Bush administration considers the success of the Siniora government a test to its policy in the region, which seeks to encourage moderate Arab regimes to counter radicalism.

The United States has recently offered military assistance in the form of arms and other equipment for the Lebanese army, following the bitter fighting in the Nahr al-Barad refugee camp in the north of the country.

For the first time Monday, Olmert held a meeting of the "Syria cabinet," which was established last week and comprises 11 members of the security cabinet. The Syria cabinet heard intelligence assessments about Syria, its relations in the Arab world, its strategy, its military deployment on the Golan Heights, and the domestic and regional standing of Bashar Assad.

According to the reports, the Syrian army is busy improving its capabilities but its deployments are "defensive," according to a senior political source in Jerusalem.

The meeting Monday focused on intelligence assessments. The IDF's preparations on the Syrian front will be discussed at the Syria cabinet's next meeting, which will take place after Olmert returns from a visit to Washington.

Political sources in Jerusalem stressed yesterday that Israel has no intention of seeking a broadening of UN activities on the Golan Heights. The mandate of UNDOF (United Nations Disengagement Observer Force) will be brought before the Security Council this month for a routine extension.
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  1.   peace message 06:01  |  Shmuelshachor 12/06/07
  2.   Remember, kids,... 07:49  |  Webster 12/06/07
  3.   Mistake After Mistake 08:24  |  Tod Zuckerman 12/06/07
  4.   PM sends fresh `nuances` in new message to Assad 08:35  |  alex 12/06/07
  5.   Heres the message ; " Bashar Ill split the cash with you" 09:49  |  Lemmings Hotline 12/06/07
  6.   Why not offer Tel-Aviv? or how about... 10:08  |  David of Melech 12/06/07
  7.   alex #4 10:09  |  PJ 12/06/07
  8.   Nuance 10:25  |  Mark Black 12/06/07
  9.   Olmert should have been seen out 10:28  |  Joseph 12/06/07
  10.   Great....Assad makes daily threats and Olmert begs for "peace"... 10:55  |  SLAVO 12/06/07
  11.   PJ #7 - let`s live in peace jewish people 12:32  |  Syrian Man 12/06/07
  12.   ...`nuances`,Yikes! k`vikes !!!! 12:32  |  akiva P 12/06/07
  13.   Message to Olmert 12:39  |  Natallie Durson 12/06/07
  14.   DDDOES OLMER KNOW ANUANCE FROM A BAR OF SOAP?? 12:50  |  paul harris 12/06/07
  15.   So Whats Nuance?????? 12:54  |  Ronnie Wolman 12/06/07
  16.   Talking 13:01  |  Hadyn 12/06/07
  17.   Syrian Man 13:34  |  Big Al 12/06/07
  18.   Syrian Man: do your part Syrians and rally for peace in Damascus! 13:34  |  Alicia 12/06/07
  19.   All you Americans 13:36  |  Big Al 12/06/07
  20.   Making A Farce Of `Megaphone Diplomacy` 14:03  |  Rowan Berkeley 12/06/07
  21.   Olmert offers Israel to save his skin 14:33  |  Jonathan S 12/06/07
  22.   Vote for Lieberman 15:17  |  Gene 12/06/07
  23.   to Syrian man 15:39  |  TAZ 12/06/07
  24.   Olmert & Assad the great dictaitors of the region 15:44  |  zionist forever 12/06/07
  25.   Seems like win win situation 15:47  |  Avrum 12/06/07
  26.   How many nuances does it take to turn on a light bulb???????? 15:52  |  akiva P 12/06/07
  27.   gNat Durson, "fresh nuances". 15:54  |  akiva P 12/06/07
  28.   Olmerts motive is reciving the nobel prize before he goes 16:03  |  zionist forever 12/06/07
  29.   Didn`t this already happen with......... 16:06  |  Deborah 12/06/07
  30.   "interesting nuances" 16:09  |  akiva P 12/06/07
  31.   Assad`s nuanced message 16:23  |  Tosefta 12/06/07
  32.   Mark Black, drinking tea... 16:35  |  akiva P 12/06/07
  33.   Syria 16:37  |  guido 12/06/07
  34.   What Makes All This So Silly 16:48  |  Rowan Berkeley 12/06/07
  35.   "until Bush is gone",..Tosefta 16:55  |  akiva P 12/06/07
  36.   Here is another nuance: Possession is nine tenths of the law 17:08  |  Uzi 12/06/07
  37.   Syria don`t want, can`t make and won`t maintain real peace. 17:11  |  Uzi 12/06/07
  38.   Olmert 17:12  |  Ralph 12/06/07
  39.   Trading `land for peace` with Syria is immoral and unworkable. 17:18  |  Uzi 12/06/07
  40.   99 Year Lease 17:39  |  David Salomon 12/06/07
  41.   OLMERT NEEDS TO BE THROWN OUT OF OFFICE NOW 18:17  |  THE WARRIOR 12/06/07
  42.   #39 Zionists say all land stolen is needed for 18:26  |  ballistic 12/06/07
  43.   #40 What a foolish suggestion; the Golan is 18:28  |  ballistic 12/06/07
  44.   He`s throwing his daughter in? 19:10  |  David 12/06/07
  45.   Syrian doublespeak and tonguetwists amuk! 19:26  |  Richard S 12/06/07
  46.   #42 go back to `possession is nine tenths of the law`. 19:32  |  Uzi 12/06/07
  47.   Why does all the American freaks shouting 19:43  |  Naor 12/06/07
  48.   whats the problem? 19:46  |  ravi 12/06/07
  49.   golan residents,start packing your bags 20:00  |  chaim schonbrun 12/06/07
  50.   Neville Chamberlin again ?? 20:09  |  Jim 12/06/07
  51.   let`s shake hands 20:10  |  Kevin 12/06/07
  52.   Israel will be the last? 20:12  |  Anne 12/06/07
  53.   "Unite the Sunnis" 20:13  |  Phillies Wright 12/06/07
  54.   Talk 20:26  |  P. J. Casey 12/06/07
  55.   #46 Uzi; well, you are certainly free to 20:30  |  ballistic 12/06/07
  56.   Sure Assad wants "Peace", He gets the Golan, Israel gets .....? 20:33  |  sam gorin 12/06/07
  57.   Ravi(48)&Tosefta,yes nancy P`s visit was not an innocent tourist 20:37  |  Lakshmi 12/06/07
  58.   Seems like Syria wants to have it`s cake and eat it too 20:48  |  Gee 12/06/07
  59.   Good. Let Assad admit defeat and apologize for his father`s actio 20:55  |  David 12/06/07
  60.   Thank You to Syrian Man 21:49  |  Solon 12/06/07
  61.   Too much into Liberation Theology (Lakshmi #57) 21:51  |  Tosefta 12/06/07
  62.   "Land for Peace"? 22:06  |  Schtarker Yid 12/06/07
  63.   #57, "Syria will not give up its strong relations with Iran" 22:11  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 12/06/07
  64.   61Tosefta, too many ifs and buts and suggests not realism but 22:21  |  lakshmi 12/06/07
  65.   Kevin #51 - I hope it happens 23:08  |  Moises 12/06/07
  66.   Ballistic you hypocrite 23:13  |  Avrum 12/06/07
  67.   Never Trust the Syrian President..... 23:26  |  Aviv 12/06/07
  68.   The Nuance Is.......... Welcome Back To Lebanon 23:36  |  Eli 12/06/07
  69.   Why rush to judgment ? 23:37  |  Ed 12/06/07
  70.   THE BOY IS MIXED UP ON NO CONDITIONS 23:39  |  paul harris 12/06/07
  71.   $2 KNICKER E AND THE STOLEN LAND IN HENDERSON 23:41  |  paul harris 12/06/07
  72.   Moshe Dayan 23:41  |  Shriek of the brute 12/06/07
  73.   A distraction to a greater threat 23:55  |  Brod 12/06/07
  74.   Senior Syrian official: Damascus ready for peace talks with Israe 00:02  |  alex 13/06/07
  75.   Syria - Iran, Temporary Marriage Of Convenience 00:09  |  Eli 13/06/07
  76.   Shriek of the brute 00:31  |  Phinias Whoppy 13/06/07
  77.   #66 well, Avrum, my boy, your post makes my 00:36  |  ballistic 13/06/07
  78.   #71 Say Paul, after a week or 2 of my being away 00:38  |  ballistic 13/06/07
  79.   Flipping out on Haaretz 00:44  |