Russia to Israel: Syria will take part in Annapolis - Haaretz

Subscribe to Print Edition

Sun., November 18, 2007 Kislev 8, 5768

Israel Time: 02:04 (EST+7)

web haaretz.com

Back to Homepage

Print Edition

Diplomacy

Defense

Arts & Leisure

Real Estate

Jewish World

National

Advertising

Easy Start

Magazine

Business

Opinion

Rosner's Domain

Anglo File

Week's End

Books

del.icio.us

Digg It! new

Russia to Israel: Syria will take part in Annapolis

By Haaretz Correspondents and AP , By Barak Ravid and Yoav Stern

Syria will participate in the Annapolis peace conference, even with a low-level delegation, senior Russian officials told their Israeli counterparts yesterday.

The two Russian officials, Deputy Foreign Minister for Middle Eastern Affairs Alexander Sultanov and special envoy Sergei Yakovlev, were on a visit to Israel yesterday.

	Advertisement

They also asked that Israel include in the summit declaration with the Palestinians a statement on Israel's desire for peace with its neighbors.

According to Israeli sources, the wording the Russians asked Israel to include states that "the summit will be the first step on the way to a regional diplomatic effort in which Israel is interested to achieve peace with its neighbors."

Palestinian sources said that the Saudis are furious that Israel is not willing to mention in the summit's concluding remarks the Arab League peace proposal as a take-off point toward final-settlement negotiations. Saudi Arabia had put forth that proposal.

Some Arab officials are worried that if Israel stays steadfast in its refusal, the Saudis will refuse to participate in the Annapolis conference, and the Arab League will follow suit.

The Russian envoys expressed the view that "Syria does not want to be left outside [the Annapolis summit]," adding that Syria "only wants Israel to be a little more flexible."

According to the Russian officials, Moscow is interested in a follow-up conference to Annapolis in December or January, which they would host.

Such a conference would be presented as a regional summit and would cover more than the Palestinian question, allowing the Syrians to participate at least at the foreign-minister level.

Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni told the Russian envoys that Moscow must use its influence to rally the Arab states' support for the Israeli-Palestinian peace process.

"The more Arab countries are involved - including those who have no relations with Israel - in the process and take early steps for normalization in stages with Israel, the diplomatic process will become stronger and it will be possible to achieve progress," she said.

In addition to Russia, Egypt and Saudi Arabia are also interested in seeing Damascus participate in the Annapolis summit.

According to Palestinian sources in Cairo, Syria's participation would help break the hard-line stance among those Palestinians who oppose the Annapolis summit.

The same sources noted that the United States is waiting to see how Damascus behaves in the elections for Lebanese president, and if Syria does not undermine the efforts to select a new president, Washington is likely to "compensate" the Syrians by raising the need for an Israeli withdrawal from the Golan Heights during the summit.

The Egyptian daily Al-Ahram reported yesterday that Syria has agreed to take part in the summit after it received assurances from Russia and Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas that Damascus would receive a direct invitation.

Syria has repeatedly said it will not attend the Annapolis conference unless the discussions include the return of the Golan Heights.

Although U.S. officials have said the focus of the conference will be the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said in recent days that he hoped Syria would take part.

Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa said yesterday that Arab countries will adopt a unified stance on the U.S.-sponsored peace conference at an Arab foreign ministers' meeting to be held in Cairo next week.

Moussa's comments followed a meeting in Damascus with Syrian President Bashar Assad, who reiterated that any peace initiative that does not include talks on the occupied Golan Heights would not be serious and could not achieve a just peace in the region.

"What we want is a conference that deals with the Arab-Israeli conflict and starts serious negotiations under international supervision," he said.

Bookmark to del.icio.us


	Walled out
	UN: West Bank fence severs Palestinan farmers from fields.


	Battle royal
	E-mail snub to Israel by Prince Charles' aides sparks furor.

Today Online


	E-mail snub to Israel by Prince Charles' aides sparks furor
	Responses: 522


	Yoel Marcus: We exist and we are a Jewish state
	Responses: 354


	Yossi Sarid: Without Erdogan, Iran would set the tone in Turkey
	Responses: 101


	Report: Jewish poverty rate in the U.S. higher than in Israel
	Responses: 88


	Israel concerned IAEA report could delay sanctions on Iran
	Responses: 126


	Vatican envoy: Ties with Israel are deteriorating
	Responses: 225

More Headlines
23:04 Israeli Arab panel rejects Israel as Jewish state


23:33 Teachers' union holds mass rally in support of strike


22:09 England Euro 2008 hopes alive after dramatic Israeli victory


17:45 Jewish group says anti-Semitic incidents in Holland up by 64%


00:05 Israel asks U.S. to clarify call to extradite alleged pedophile


23:58 UN: West Bank fence severs Palestinans farmers from fields


16:41 Ex-justices lash out at reforms proposed by Justice Minister


17:14 Retired IDF officer Hirsch: Career soldiers are underpaid


22:55 Five cars destroyed by Qassam rocket attack on city of Sderot