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Syrian President Bashar Assad. (AP Archives) del.icio.us Digg It!  new Last update - 17:24 11/10/2007 Assad casts doubt on Syrian participation in peace summit By The Associated Press In an interview with two Tunisian newspapers, Syrian President Bashar Assad made his most concrete statement yet casting doubt on his country's participation in a U.S.-sponsored peace conference scheduled for next month. "Syria has not received an invitation to the conference, and even if it did, it will not take part in a conference that lacks the chances of success," Assad said. The Bush Administration has said it will invite adversary Syria to the c Advertisement onference. But Assad had said earlier that his country would not attend the meeting if it did not address Israel's occupation of the Golan Heights, which it captured from Syria during the 1967 Six-Day war. In Thursday's interview, Assad said the conference should have serious and clear goals and should include all peace tracks including the Golan issue. "The Syrian track is essential and the Golan issue is number one," he told the Ach-Chourouk and Le Quotidien newspapers. The United States has kept quiet on the most basic details about the meeting, including precise dates, the guest list and the location - though it is expected to be in Annapolis, Maryland. U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice will be on the spot to fill in the blanks during a preparatory trip to the Middle East that is schedule to start this weekend. Assad also said that Israel is trying to cover up the failure of an Israel Air Force strike on his country early last month. IAF jets raided a target in northeastern Syria on September 6. Assad has described the target as an unused military building, while Israeli officials have maintained an unprecedented wall of silence over the affair. Foreign media reports - denied by Syria - have said that the target was a nascent nuclear facility being built with North Korean help. Assad said Israel's silence reflected the failure of Israeli or U.S. intelligence. "They are trying to cover up their failure by shrouding it with mystery," he said. Assad's comments on Syria's participation in the peace conference come amid deep skepticism over the summit among other Arab governments, which have expressed doubts the planned gathering in November will tackle the main issues of the conflict with Israel. Top allies Egypt, Jordan and Saudi Arabia have not said whether they will attend. Arab League chief Amr Moussa predicted the conference would be a failure and said the United States was only hoping for a photo-op between Saudi and Israeli officials rather than real progress. From Israel's side, IDF Military Intelligence has also expressed doubts about the likelihood of success at the peace summit, saying the Palestinians would like to make immediate gains at the summit, but in return will postpone or fail to carry out their commitments. In the Saudi capital Riyadh, the head of the six-country Gulf Cooperation Council Abdul-Rahman Attiyah called Thursday for joint Arab-Palestinian action to set the conditions for the success the conference. He also expressed skepticism that the meeting would be successful, saying that Israel does not want peace. Moussa warned of a likely failure of the conference during an international economic forum Wednesday night in Cairo. "All what they [the Americans] want, as some say, is that the [Saudi Foreign Minister] Saud al-Faisal shake hands with Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, that the two take pictures. This is a joke, it's not serious," Moussa said. "Prince Saud al-Faisal will not do that... it has been decided," he said. In the interview, Assad acknowledged that relations with Saudi Arabia and Egypt were not as they should be but said his country was open to any initiatives to improve ties. Damascus' relations with longtime U.S. allies Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Jordan have been cool, partly over what they see as Syria's role in promoting the interests of its ally Iran in the Arab world. He warned against any U.S. military action against Iran, saying it would be foolish and detrimental to the region and to the world. He did not elaborate. Assad also confirmed that Turkey was trying to mediate between his country and Israel. "We have told them [the Turks] that our stance toward peace does not change... All we want is a clear declaration by Israeli officials of their desire for peace and returning land to Syria," he said. "We also want guarantees that the full territory would return," he added. Related articles Assad: Syria won't attend fall summit unless Golan on agenda IDF lifts censorship of Sept. 6 IAF strike on target inside Syria Bookmark to del.icio.us Mover and baker N.Y. celebrity baker Ron Ben-Israel created a two-ton cake to mark the Plaza's centennial. Show must go on The glory of making the pilgrimage to NYC and play against the Knicks has its price.   1.   If IAF strike Failed, Why did North Korea PROTEST? 13:58  |  Vittorio 11/10/07   2.   WELL ASSAD 14:08  |  Gil 11/10/07   3.   ASSAD has found a Milking COW! 14:10  |  Gil 11/10/07   4.   WAR 14:15  |  Mike 11/10/07   5.   Golan, Syria, Asad 14:32  |  Yusuf 11/10/07   6.   Land , peace 14:39  |  Halil 11/10/07   7.   Mike, praying for peace... 14:40  |  Joshua 11/10/07   8.   no peace!!! 14:42  |  collond 11/10/07   9.   Syria cover up 14:53  |  Dima 11/10/07   10.   ASSad`s covering up for selling out to Iran 14:57  |  Flickcool 11/10/07   11.   Only Thing Missing: Baggy Pants, Red Nose, Water Gun! 14:59  |  Peter 11/10/07   12.   Cover up. 15:00  |  David Nigel Braham 11/10/07   13.   The real cover-up 15:05  |  Gil 11/10/07   14.   It is not land for peace 15:08  |  Avrum 11/10/07   15.   ILLOGICAL-TO FAIL THERE HAD TO BE A MISSED **LEGITIMATE TARGET ** 15:13  |  Mitch Iginer 11/10/07   16.   The simplest explanation for Israel`s silence 15:16  |  Tosefta 11/10/07   17.   This is a highly entertianing, high-stakes soap opera 15:17  |  Richard S 11/10/07   18.   What Does Israel Get In Return For The Golan 15:40  |  Ron 11/10/07   19.   woo me, sue me, ask me to the dance 15:48  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 11/10/07   20.   GOLAN WAS SEIZED BY SYRIA IN 1947 AND THEY ONLY HAD IT FOR 20YRS 16:03  |  Mitch Iginer 11/10/07   21.   Margie, want to buy some swampland in Alaska? 16:18  |  Ibrahim 11/10/07   22.   If nobody believes in peace, then cancel the november summit. 16:23  |  Fortuna Benmayor 11/10/07   23.   Result of failed talks 16:23  |  Harold 11/10/07   24.   ISRAEL CAN SILENCE EVERYONE WITH THIS.... 16:27  |  Markus 11/10/07   25.   Land for peace 16:33  |  Edifice 11/10/07   26.   ASSAD IS RIGHT, BABY 16:39  |  indrajaya 11/10/07   27.   Markus #24 16:42  |  Howard 11/10/07   28.   Tosefta your more like a Tosser 16:43  |  david london 11/10/07   29.   #24 MARKUS NY 16:50  |  * BEN JABO 11/10/07   30.   Mitch the Iginerant on the Golan #20 16:51  |  Dog-catcher 11/10/07   31.   President Assad is absolutely right! 17:03  |  Eric 11/10/07   32.   Sorry it doesn`t meet with your approval (David London #28) 17:04  |  Tosefta 11/10/07   33.   Israel`s failure exposed! 17:05  |  Daniel 11/10/07   34.   Ibrahim - about the swamp land 17:07  |  David Israel 11/10/07   35.   #26 Indra says "ASSSAD IS RIGHT". Why? - JUST BECAUSE INDRA SAYS 17:09  |  Vittorio 11/10/07   36.   ISRAEL, SPIT THE TRUTH OUT!! 17:10  |  dovale 11/10/07   37.   Ibrahim 17:28  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 11/10/07   38.   Markus - This is what irael started to do but 17:28  |  David Israel 11/10/07   39.   #26 - indrajaya 17:57  |  MichaelF 11/10/07   40.   #24 - Markus 18:01  |  MichaelF 11/10/07   41.   Saudi foreign minister not allowed to shake hand with woman 18:02  |  Voice of Reason 11/10/07   42.   Funny, Israel will never accept a decent guy 18:21  |  gus 11/10/07   43.   To david, I agree but 18:25  |  gus 11/10/07   44.   Markus, God bless you, you spoke the truth 18:31  |  gus 11/10/07   45.   to MichaelF give me a break 18:35  |  gus 11/10/07   46.   gus 18:37  |  David Israel 11/10/07   47.   weired 18:50  |  christoph 11/10/07   48.   So easy to rewrite the past.. (David Israel #38, 46) 19:29  |  Tosefta 11/10/07   49.   #30THE JEWISH LANDS WERE TAKEN VIOLENTLY LIKE GAZA&WB&E.JERU 1948 19:33  |  MITCH IGINER 11/10/07   50.   Israel should send Assad an X-Box or Wii game 19:34  |  Chick 11/10/07   51.   All Aboard. Train`s Leaving Station, Which Subsequently Burns. 19:39  |  Solon 11/10/07   52.   Tosefta # 48 21:36  |  David Israel 11/10/07   53.   Fuuny guy, Gus 21:51  |  Rory 11/10/07   54.   Slowman`s wisdom on skipping posts 21:59  |  Press Ass 11/10/07   55.   Ibrahim 14:16  |  peter 12/10/07

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