Subscribe to Print Edition | Sun., April 27, 2008 Nisan 22, 5768 | | Israel Time: 11:17 (EST+7) web haaretz.com   Back to Homepage Rosner's Domain Diplomacy Defense Jewish World Opinion National Print Edition Advertising Books Arts & Leisure Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. (AP) Last update - 00:15 27/04/2008 Assad says 'ready to cooperate' in Turkish Israel-Syria peace bid By News Agencies Tags: Syria, Israel, Turkey President Bashar al Assad said after meeting Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan in the Syrian capital that "Syria was ready to cooperate with Turkey in any effort that brings security and stability to the region." "The meeting focused on ways to activate a just and comprehensive peace and the president praised Turkey for the efforts in this regard," the state news agency said. Syrian officials said that the meeting focused on attempts by Turkey to help Syria and Israel relaunch negotiations that collapsed in 2000 over the scope of a proposed Israeli withdrawal from the Golan heights, a water-rich plateau overlooking Damascus. Advertisement Earlier Saturday, Turkish prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan confirmed that his country is mediating between Syria and Israel in an effort to secure peace. "There was a request from Syria and Israel for this kind of an effort and Turkey will do its best in this regard," said Erdogan, speaking in Ankara upon his return from a trip to Damascus, where he attended a Turkish-Syrian business meeting and held talks with President Bashar Assad. Erdogan stated that Turkey will try to restart low-level negotiations between the sides with the aim of eventually getting the countries' leaders together. "This effort will start among the lower level (officials) and if they are successful, God willing, they will end with a higher level meeting," the Turkish prime minister added. Erdogan's original purpose for his trip to Damascus was to open a Syrian-Turkish business forum. But his visit gained added significance with Assad's announcement that he received an Israeli offer of a full withdrawal from the Golan Heights in return for a peace treaty. Assad has said that Erdogan passed on the message that Prime Minister Ehud Olmert is ready to return the Golan and that he's looking to discuss the details with Erdogan. The two were to meet later in the day. Turkey has close ties with both Israel and Syria as well as with the United States. Assad also said in an interview with the Qatari newspaper al-Watan published Thursday that Turkish mediation over the past year could lay the groundwork for direct talks with Israel. The recent developments suggested some progress in back-channel contacts between the longtime enemies, despite heightened tensions between them over the turmoil in Lebanon and the Gaza Strip and over a September airstrike by Israel against a suspected nuclear reactor in Syria. Israel and Syria's last round of direct talks broke down in 2000 over the details of Israel's proposed withdrawal from the Golan, which it captured in the 1967 Six Day War. Israel wanted to keep a small coastal strip around the Sea of Galilee to ensure its control of the lake's vital water supplies, a demand Syria rejected. Olmert said earlier in April that he sent messages to Damascus on peace prospects but did not disclose the contents. The prime minister's spokesman, Mark Regev, declined to comment on the reports but said Israel is genuinely interested in restarting talks with Syria. Olmert has never committed himself publicly to a return of the Golan, saying only he is willing to resume peace negotiations with Syria if it drops its support for the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah and Palestinian Hamas. An Israeli Foreign Ministry official said this week that Syrian reports do not represent the full picture of Olmert's position because they don't address, for instance, the extent of the Israeli withdrawal from the Golan, the prime minister's demands and Syria's response. In his newspaper interview, Assad did not disclose details. He said his country may hold future direct talks with Israel, but not until a new U.S. administration that can broker such negotiations takes office. Syria's relations with the Bush administration, which leaves office in January 2009, have been poor in the last three years because of disputes over policy in Lebanon, Iraq and the Palestinians. Related articles: News / Olmert: Israel's intentions with regard to Syria are peaceful Golan leaders to Turkey: Push Syria talks without sacrificing Golan Assad: After Bush, we will be able to talk directly with Israel Israeli-Turkish relations tense as Erdogan says Qassams don't kill Turkey seeks to block Knesset debate on Armenian genocide Bookmark to del.icio.us   Fake reactor Syrian envoy: Photos of alleged nuke site fabricated by CIA. Modern Moses Commander of legendary Jewish immigrant ship Exodus dies at 90.   1.   WHO is Syria to reject the demands of Israel? 13:35  |  The Archives 26/04/08   2.   Archives 14:20  |  Phil 26/04/08   3.   Is he Sincere or just playing a role? 14:46  |  Sharif Hafez 26/04/08   4.   #2 I will not not defend the facts 15:11  |  The Archives 26/04/08   5.   Distraction/Diversion Tactics of the Islamist world 15:13  |  Brod 26/04/08   6.   vain obsercance...everyone know the zio-stated is against peace 15:39  |  dance of death 26/04/08   7.   to N 3 16:05  |  Nizar 26/04/08   8.   re N1 16:10  |  Nizar 26/04/08   9.   Syria doesn`t listen to the world regarding Lebanon 17:04  |  Shepherd 26/04/08   10.   For "dance of death" 18:01  |  Fortuna Benmayor 26/04/08   11.   #2 Archives, where have you been hiding ? 18:14  |  Wise Syrian 26/04/08   12.   A referendum should decide, not Olmert 18:25  |  siem 26/04/08   13.   Olmert has no legal authority 19:05  |  Jeff 26/04/08   14.   700 meters Above the Galleal..... 19:08  |  Dolly 26/04/08   15.   Isreal is the best ! 19:51  |  Biohazard 26/04/08   16.   MUSLIM TIMES 20:14  |  Francis 26/04/08   17.   izrael 20:46  |  selim 26/04/08   18.   Syria and the Golan 20:50  |  Jean Van Daem 26/04/08   19.   re 18 23:02  |  Nizar 26/04/08   20.   Olmert is the equivalent of Rudolf Katzner 23:11  |  Ken Jurist 26/04/08   21.   what is it with the turks 00:51  |  harzion 27/04/08   22.   Give Syrian a chance? 00:52  |  Sam 27/04/08   23.   Assad doesn`t realize Israeli`s will ever give up the Golan Hts. 01:56  |  Shepherd 27/04/08   24.   #8:Nizar you know that Archives is right don`t you 02:02  |  Doc Holliday 27/04/08   25.   Syria Can Not Make Peace _ Like All Arab Regimes 02:30  |  Eli 27/04/08   26.   Turkish-Syrian Crap 02:42  |  Brod 27/04/08   27.   Golan 03:24  |  Reid 27/04/08   28.   Golan II 03:31  |  Reid 27/04/08   29.   Turkey has a solution to Pal/Israel crisis 04:22  |  Zev 27/04/08

Read & React Israel: Gaza truce hinges on Hamas control over Jihad Responses: 20 Avraham Burg: Jonathan Pollard is America's Vanunu Responses: 1 U.S. fumes after Israeli envoy to UN brands Carter 'a bigot' Responses: 73 Barak defers U.S. trip in wake of CIA briefing over Syrian strike Responses: 6 Zvi Barel: Ask Assad, not Olmert about Syria peace talks Responses: 3 Rosner's Domain Syria insists on a return to the pre-1967 lines (WTR) Poll: Will the new spy case harm U.S.-Israel ties? Notes on the new Israeli-espionage affair The real numbers of the Jewish vote in Pennsylvania More Headlines 11:17 Report: Syria demands Israel commit in writing to Golan withdrawal 10:18 Israel: Gaza truce depends on Hamas control over Jihad 10:11 Cease-fire talks / They can start packing at the Muqata 10:37 Report: Hezbollah man says new attack on Israel is question of 'when, not if' 10:07 Food crisis reaches Israel, stores ration rice sales 10:03 Israeli Arab to run for mayor of Haifa for first time since 1948 06:19 Another struggle over 'Mein Kampf' 08:24 World Bank: PA economy static, mainly because of Israeli siege 09:32 U.S. fumes after Israeli envoy to UN brands Carter 'a bigot' 02:43 Barak defers U.S. trip in wake of CIA briefing over Syrian strike 10:48 Does anyone really miss Azmi Bishara? Previous Editions Select Day 25 apr 24 apr 23 apr 22 apr 21 apr 20 apr 18 apr 17 apr 16 apr 15 apr 14 apr 13 apr

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