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Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Moallem. (Reuters) Last update - 23:02 09/01/2008 Syria says it's not seeking military solution with Israel By Associated Press Tags: Golan Heights, Israel, Syria  Syria is not seeking a military solution for its conflict with Israel and is ready to resume peace talks, Syria's foreign minister said Wednesday. The remarks by Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem came as U.S. President George W. Bush was in Israel Wednesday on the first day of his eight-day Mideast trip aimed at pushing the Israelis and Palestinians toward a peace agreement. "We are not looking for a military solution (with Israel) at all," Moallem said in an interview with the Dubai-based Al-Arabiya satellite channel. For this reason, we participated in the 1991 (Mideast) peace process in Madrid and engaged in talks with the Israelis for 10 years under U.S. sponsorship. Advertisement Referring to the U.S.-sponsored Mideast peace conference held in November in Annapolis, Maryland, which Syria attended, Moallem said, We went to Annapolis and we are ready to resume peace negotiations on the Syrian track in a way that does not contradict progress on the Palestinian track. On December 30, U.S. Senator Arlen Specter said after meeting with President Bashar Assad in Damascus that the Syrian leader is ready for peace talks with Israel, halted since 2000. Formal U.S.-sponsored Israel-Syria talks neared agreement in 2000 but broke down over final border and peace arrangements. Syria demands the full return of the Golan Heights, the territory seized by Israel in the 1967 Six-Day War. Moallem said he didn't see Bush's Mideast trip as a step forward for the peace process, not even between the Israelis and the Palestinians. "There is no progress neither on the Palestinian track, nor on the Syrian one," he said. Moallem criticized the U.S. foreign policy and hit back at Bush's criticism of Assad, saying that the world has lost patience with the U.S. president's policies. "The U.S.A., under the Bush Administration, has a black and white foreign policy and this is unrealistic," he said. Bush has asked Syria to choose between its alliance with Iran and anti-Israel militant groups, like Hezbollah and Hamas, and its relations with the Western world. Last month, Bush rejected dialogue with the Syrian leader, saying his patience ran out on President Assad a long time ago. Moallem responded, "The world has lost patience with Bush's policies." U.S.-Syrian relations soured after the 2005 assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri in a car bombing. Washington pulled its ambassador out of the country over suspected Syrian involvement in the attack, which Damascus denies. The U.S. has also criticized Syria for not doing enough to prevent militants from crossing its border into Iraq - although American officials have said recently that Damascus has stepped up its efforts. The two countries have accused each other of meddling in Lebanon, where the Western-backed government is locked in a fierce power struggle with the pro-Syrian opposition Bookmark to del.icio.us   JDate wins the 'Oscars' The leading Jewish dating Web site is an official honoree of the Webby Awards. 'Worse than Nazi camp' A Libyan envoy to the UN says the situation in Gaza is worse than in concentration camps.   1.   Syria and a military solution 18:53  |  Jerusalem Jew 09/01/08   2.   Syria rules out military solution 19:12  |  Abu Yusuf 09/01/08   3.   Then Syria must disarm its chemical WMD. 19:28  |  Stephen. 09/01/08   4.   levels of hostility 19:49  |  real vision 09/01/08   5.   Syria, Hezbullies are a military menace 20:45  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 09/01/08   6.   To Real vision from a Syrian 20:45  |  Sami 09/01/08   7.   My, my peace is "busting out" all over! Isn`t this great. 20:46  |  blind to the truth 09/01/08   8.   To #6 Sami 20:56  |  Jerusalem Jew 09/01/08   9.   Syrians Deserve Better Leaders and Leadership 21:20  |  dyinglikeflies 09/01/08   10.   To #6 21:22  |  EZ 09/01/08   11.   to no 6 IF 22:04  |  Tina 09/01/08   12.   Until the Golan is returned, Syria will keep all options open 22:05  |  Natallie Durson 09/01/08   13.   That is not their decision to make. 22:15  |  Joseph David 09/01/08   14.   # 5 What is the sence in negotiation 22:19  |  Kris 09/01/08   15.   fair enough. but now destroy iran, hussy & hamas 22:25  |  frenz 09/01/08   16.   Dictators like Assad to do not threaten other rough states 22:43  |  Hypocrisy Monitor 09/01/08   17.   To: Sami #6 22:54  |  David 09/01/08   18.   #3 Stephen I agree totally 23:07  |  Chris Linthwaite 09/01/08   19.   # 12 23:09  |  VENI VIDI 09/01/08   20.   Natallie, how do you know Syria is keeping all it`s options open? 23:21  |  Eyal 09/01/08   21.   who needs peace? 23:43  |  peter 09/01/08   22.   to sami 00:45  |  the syrian 10/01/08   23.   But Israel will seek a military solutions with Syria 01:01  |  El-birawi 10/01/08   24.   Peace with syria..and the arabs... to sami 01:12  |  real vision 10/01/08   25.   Syria and Israel must live in peace. 02:02  |  Luiz Felipe Haddad 10/01/08   26.   Nor does Syria seek a peaceful solution with Israel 02:23  |  Gee 10/01/08   27.   What is a military solution any where RIGHT ??? 03:21  |  M. S. 10/01/08   28.   # 20. Eyal. Natallie reads NIE reports. 04:29  |  Stephen 10/01/08   29.   and if you believe this have i a bridge for sale just for you 04:41  |  ralph 10/01/08   30.   and if you believe this have i a bridge for sale just for you 04:42  |  ralph 10/01/08   31.   The Golan is a non-issue. Syria lost if because of agression 05:08  |  Joseph David 10/01/08   32.   #31 Joseph David 14:40  |  Johnboy 10/01/08   33.   The Syrian 18:39  |  American Lebanese 10/01/08   34.   Definite Syrian agression - 1948 to present 19:38  |  Joseph David 10/01/08   35.   # 12 Golan is Israel`s forever, Fatmeh, and syria`s options... 20:08  |  Misha 10/01/08   36.   Bashar Assad won`t stick his chin out for peace 22:20  |  Jake 10/01/08   37.   #4 Joseph David insists that Israel gets to be judge and jury 01:23  |  Johnboy 11/01/08   38.   Definite Syrian agression - 1948 to present 04:45  |  Joseph David 11/01/08   39.   #38 I`ll repeat, Joseph, you make a non sequitor 08:02  |  Johnboy 11/01/08   40.   Johnboy - I suppose according to you Syria didn`t attack in 1948 20:33  |  Jewboy 11/01/08   41.   Johboy - Syria occupied part of Israel in 1948 20:39  |  Jewboy 11/01/08   42.   syria disarming? 08:57  |  joe haffer 20/04/08   43.   TO NO 6 SAMI. 22:36  |  DANNY 24/04/08   44.   TO NO 8 SAMI. 22:49  |  DANNY. 24/04/08   45.   TO NO 23 EL BIRAWI 23:02  |  DANNY. 24/04/08   46.   TO 31. 23:05  |  DANNY. 24/04/08

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