Subscribe to Print Edition | Fri., May 02, 2008 Nisan 27, 5768 | | Israel Time: 14:30 (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 meeting with Syrian President Bashar Assad in Damascus on Saturday. (AP) Last update - 17:41 27/04/2008 Syria said demanding Israeli guarantee on Golan pullout By Yoav Stern, Haaretz Correspondent Tags: syria, Israel, peace talks  Syria is demanding that Israel commit in writing to a withdrawal from the Golan Heights in exchange for peace, Syrian President Bashar Assad told Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, according to the Qatari newspaper Al-Watan. The paper based its report on Syrian sources, who claim to be in possession of the "Rabin Pledge," referring to understandings reached between Israel and Syria in the 1990s, before the 1995 assassination of then-prime minister Yitzhak Rabin. Assad told the newspaper on Sunday that the time has not yet come for peace because "the Israeli side has still not given its guarantee." Advertisement Meanwhile, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said Sunday that he supports Turkish mediation of Israeli-Syrian peace talks and would back any agreement reached between the two longtime enemies. Speaking to reporters at a press conference in the Egyptian Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheik after meeting with President Hosni Mubarak, Abbas also said a peace agreement between Israel and Syria would not harm Palestinian negotiations with Israel. "We stand with any dialogue or agreement that our Syrian brothers reach, and we don't believe, at all, that this would compromise the Palestinian-Israeli [peace process]," Abbas told reporters. Assad said last July that Damascus was ready for peace talks with Israel, but only in the presence of an honest broker and with conditions. He said Syria wants certain guarantees from Israel, namely a promise for full withdrawal from the Golan Heights, the strategic plateau captured in 1967. Assad and Erdogan met for two and a half hours on Saturday in Damascus, as part of Turkey's efforts to mediate renewed negotiations between Syria and Israel. Erdogan said following the talks that Turkey would try to organize a meeting with senior Syrian and Israeli officials. There was a request from Syria and Israel for this kind of effort and Turkey will do its best in this regard," Erdogan said. "This effort will start with lower-level [officials] and if they are successful, God willing, they will end with a higher-level meeting." Erdogan said Turkish efforts to mediate between Syria and Israel were part of a broader effort by Ankara to play the role of regional peace maker. "I believe that our peace diplomacy will, God willing, make positive contributions to [peace] in Iraq, between Syria and Israel or between Israel and the Palestinians," he said. Related articles: Would-be peacemaker Turkey pushing for Israel-Syria meeting UN envoy: Damascus interested in peace negotiations with Israel Israeli, Syrian representatives reach secret understandings Assad: Peace talks only if Israel guarantees return of Golan Bookmark to del.icio.us   Hamas on the Holocaust Al-Aqsa TV claims Jews concocted the Holocaust. Grasping genocide How a non-Jew in Israel came to understand the Holocaust.   1.   They must have heard of Samuel Goldwyn 11:24  |  S 27/04/08   2.   No position to make demands 11:32  |  idfgolani 27/04/08   3.   Who is Assad to demand preconditions? 11:38  |  Yonatan 27/04/08   4.   NEVER MIND 11:56  |  BOB KING 27/04/08   5.   Golan Heights was never Syria`s 12:03  |  The Archives 27/04/08   6.   Golan is Israel! Any submissions would be treacherous! 12:07  |  Yered Shmuel 27/04/08   7.   assad 12:18  |  michel 27/04/08   8.   He has to close his border with lebanon to weapons first 13:17  |  Arthur 27/04/08   9.   Assad the son of a butcher 13:24  |  dovale 27/04/08   10.   Golan isn`t Syrian 13:31  |  PK 27/04/08   11.   israel won`t sign because of its dream of greater israel&because 13:40  |  lakshmi 27/04/08   12.   OK - BUT IN 50 YEARS - TILL THEN WE LEASE IT 13:43  |  B`Galil 27/04/08   13.   not all the Golan can be given 13:54  |  Joey 27/04/08   14.   Israels "to do" list. Yes, Hizbollah is on it 14:00  |  Natallie Durson 27/04/08   15.   Former Israel Secty of Protocol, Durson wants her Job back 14:17  |  Panther Jet 27/04/08   16.   The Syrians must know that the following are requrments of nearly 14:24  |  Amihai 27/04/08   17.   What Golan Residents wish to see ? 14:33  |  Atilla Karagözoğlu 27/04/08   18.   stop worrying 14:39  |  shainake 27/04/08   19.   No peace with Syria is peace for Israel 14:58  |  de Jong 27/04/08   20.   Golan Heights was never Syria`s (with correction) 15:01  |  The Archives 27/04/08   21.   One Word is enough 15:24  |  Shimon Cleopas 27/04/08   22.   Syria to Israel -Must /NOT , Israel to Syrian Yes, Maybe /Not 15:42  |  Sal 27/04/08   23.   No to treasonous move 15:47  |  Brod 27/04/08   24.   peace is good, TRUE PEACE MUST START FROM ISRAEL 15:47  |  Atilla 27/04/08   25.   Just say no to suicide 15:50  |  utagawa 27/04/08   26.   Peace with Syria ? let`s be realistic. 16:35  |  Jean Van Daem 27/04/08   27.   hey assad we are not all named uri saguy 16:36  |  aman 27/04/08   28.   Why negotiate? 16:53  |  Ezer 27/04/08   29.   Israel and Syria could you please pass the Turkey Mediation? 16:55  |  Zev 27/04/08   30.   Hark! The most significant statement of the year! 17:09  |  Esther 27/04/08   31.   #2.I`m afraid is THAT that what will happen... 17:29  |  Notabully 27/04/08   32.   As usual Assad still making demands and giving nothing back 17:37  |  Shepherd 27/04/08   33.   This is known as "the pocket". 18:05  |  Johnboy 27/04/08   34.   to brod from usa 18:09  |  teflon moslem 27/04/08   35.   there should be a third palestinan state 18:16  |  tea man 27/04/08   36.   Israeli Guarantee is not Valid: Ask Rabin in his Grave! 18:21  |  Sharif Hafez 27/04/08   37.   60 YEARS SOMETHING, NEW PALESTINE AT THE DOOR :) 18:23  |  NEW MIDDLE EAST 27/04/08   38.   Durson`s "to do" list. Yes, nuclear war is on it. 18:31  |  Joe Sittizen 27/04/08   39.   I love you, Atilla 18:41  |  Tali 27/04/08   40.   Syria`s extortion: hand it over and we won`t attack you 19:15  |  Theodor 27/04/08   41.   When the Golan is 700 meters ABOVE THE GALEAL 19:26  |  Dagma 27/04/08   42.   Johnboy - show me the agreement 20:08  |  Jewboy 27/04/08   43.   Is the Kinneret`s Shrinkage Related? 20:13  |  Neil Kuchinsky 27/04/08   44.   Assad not like Abbas 20:15  |  Harold 27/04/08   45.   forget it. my position. syria must change governments before talk 20:46  |  ralph 27/04/08   46.   Another example of JB`s "negotiations" 21:22  |  David Teich 27/04/08   47.   to those who want the golan to be given to assad 21:42  |  Mikey 27/04/08   48.   nu, what`s syria offering? 21:48  |  peter 27/04/08   49.   Assad wants the Golan, not peace 22:04  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 27/04/08   50.   The Lord guaranteed the Golan to Moses&Israel 22:51  |  sam 27/04/08   51.   The Lord guaranteed Golan 2 Moses&Israel 23:04  |  sam 27/04/08   52.   To Tali and Atilla....gross! 23:15  |  SLAVO 27/04/08   53.   Contracts and Guarantees 23:18  |  George W. Bush 27/04/08   54.   Joe Sitizen Jerusalem 23:26  |  George W. Bush 27/04/08   55.   Presents for Israel from Assad 23:32  |  George W. Bush 27/04/08   56.   demands 00:47  |  Shmuelshachor 28/04/08   57.   What Guaranties Syria can give 01:29  |  Abdul Aziz Higazi 28/04/08   58.   #42 I think you need to study the history of these negotiations. 05:23  |  Johnboy 28/04/08   59.   #46 Who negotiates for Israel, Teichie? 05:37  |  Johnboy 28/04/08   60.   Not only withdrawal from Golan, but from all occupied land! 10:02  |  Roxana from Iran 28/04/08   61.   #46 Another example of Teichie`s looseness with the truth 12:44  |  Johnboy 28/04/08   62.   Poor JB, eternally ignorant 13:21  |  David Teich 29/04/08   63.   #62 Poor David defends the indefensible 15:53  |  Johnboy 29/04/08   64.   #62 Where Teichie goes wrong.... 03:03  |  Johnboy 30/04/08   65.   JB defends a fantasy 13:37  |  David Teich 02/05/08

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