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Syrian President Bashar Assad. (AP)
Last update - 11:52 30/04/2008
Top Syrian emissary: We won't sever ties with Iran for peace with Israel
By Yoav Stern and Barak Ravid, Haaretz Correspondents

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When asked why Syria elected to trumpet messages from Israel and relayed by Turkey of Jerusalem's willingness to cede the Golan Heights in exchange for peace, Taqi replied that the intent behind the media campaign was "to solidify the right" of Syria to the strategic plateau it lost as a result of the Six-Day War.
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As such, Taqi sought to emphasize that he is personally not involved in the recent developments, but is rather providing commentary on the matter.

Israeli officials told Haaretz Taqi was very close to decision-makers in Damascus and enjoyed the confidence of the Turkish government. People who know Taqi personally said yesterday they believed he was very well-connected to the Syrian intelligence services.

Taqi served for years as an adviser to the previous Syrian president, Hafez Assad. In recent years he received the official title of adviser to the prime minister, and heads the Center of Oriental Studies, a political think tank.

Prior to taking up his advisory posts, Taqi, who is a Christian, was a cardiac surgeon, who studied medicine in London. In recent years he has has frequently met with journalists and academics to discuss political issues.

Last year, the Turks welcomed Taqi's visit to northern Cyprus at the head of an unofficial Syrian delegation, when he met with with the foreign minister of the breakaway Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. His act aroused the ire of Greek Cypriots, who oppose recognition of the Turkish part of the island as an independent state, which only Ankara recognizes.

Haaretz has learned that Taqi was the bearer of Israel's main message to Syrian President Bashar Assad more than a week ago, following his visit to Ankara. Taqi's principal contact in Ankara is Ahmet Davutoglu, a close associate of Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Taqi, in an interview broadcast on Saturday on Al Jazeera, spoke from Damascus and said Syria was interested in moving ahead in talks with Israel even during the present American administration. He said now was the time to prepare for for the pre-negotiation phase, to declare intentions and points of view, until the parties reach the point at which the Americans would be prepared to intervene.

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      1.   In other words, Syria does not want peace 00:56  |  McQueen 30/04/08
      2.   Well... there you go 01:10  |  Lev 30/04/08
      3.   He spits in the face of "Haaretz" Yoel Marcus 01:16  |  Absolute Sweden 30/04/08
      4.   Then There`s Nothing To Talk About 01:21  |  B`Galil 30/04/08
      5.   No Matter - Moronic Israeli Lefties Still Want "Peace" 01:40  |  Tod Zuckerman 30/04/08
      6.   Golan must forever remain an integral part of Israel 01:43  |  Strangelove 30/04/08
      7.   SYRIA IS NOT INTERSTED IN PEACE 01:49  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 30/04/08
      8.   Syrians are playing the Americans 01:52  |  B (The other one) 30/04/08
      9.   Olmert is the equivalent of Rudolf Katzner 01:54  |  Ken Jurist 30/04/08
      10.   talking to syria waste of time 02:03  |  Larzbeach 30/04/08
      11.   syria support hamas and hezollah 02:12  |  Tonny 30/04/08
      12.   just like i said, ha ha ha 02:17  |  VIPER 30/04/08
      13.   #1, MC QUEEN, dear oh dear 02:20  |  VIPER 30/04/08
      14.   Well, that`s that! Step 2: ask US to recognize Golan annexation 02:23  |  Dr. L. Brnd 30/04/08
      15.   Oh Dear! Then, Why Not Just Keep The Golan? 02:25  |  Jeff Northridge 30/04/08
      16.   #7, CPK, talks rubbish and shows no logic once again 02:27  |  VIPER 30/04/08
      17.   So What`s Worth it Then ???!!! 02:38  |  Fortuna Benmayor 30/04/08
      18.   ASSAD KNEW ISRAEL PEACE OFFER WAS A SCAM 02:43  |  JoeMomma 30/04/08
      19.   Waste of time - Might as well flush effort down the toilet 03:09  |  * BEN JABO 30/04/08
      20.   Forget about "Peace!", but concentrate on security 03:13  |  Protected Civilian 30/04/08
      21.   In a few months Iran will be history! 03:14  |  Murray the Mongoose 30/04/08
      22.   Iran and Syria vs. USA and Israel 03:33  |  Ghassan 30/04/08
      23.   Like I Said B4...We Get What For Golan? 04:01  |  Adam 30/04/08
      24.   Arab Definition of Peace Negotiations 05:03  |  Jabotinsky 30/04/08
      25.   what do you get for the golan? 05:11  |  come closer 30/04/08
      26.   Top Israel: It is naive for Israel to make peace with 05:40  |  The Archives 30/04/08
      27.   JoeMomma#15 - Perhaps Assad should call Israel`s bluff 05:45  |  William 30/04/08
      28.   Assad`s deal matches Hamas` 05:48  |  William 30/04/08
      29.   All We Need Is Ahmadinejad`s Ugly Mug Glaring Down From TheGolan 05:51  |  Lavi 30/04/08
      30.   #15 Hey Momma who you calling BULLY? 05:52  |  Magnify 30/04/08
      31.   What is PEACE if your neighbour.... 06:06  |  The Archives 30/04/08
      32.   #14 Oh Dear! Loose words indeed, Jeff 06:47  |  Johnboy 30/04/08
      33.   IDIOTIC ISRAELI PROPOSAL 06:52  |  newsreader 30/04/08
      34.   Thanks to the iranian threat, Israel accepted to resume negotiati 06:54  |  Aounist 30/04/08
      35.   #7 Utter nonsense, Cipora. 07:14  |  Johnboy 30/04/08
      36.   The devil is in the details 07:34  |  Natallie Durson 30/04/08
      37.   what? 07:40  |  rm 30/04/08
      38.   #24 WILLIAM: YOU SOUND LIKE A MAN WHOS GOT THE BLUES 07:40  |  JoeMomma 30/04/08
      39.   Naive, delusional, and living in a fantasy world 07:41  |  Ilan 30/04/08
      40.   Aounist: maybe refrase it... 08:10  |  Uri 30/04/08
      41.   Good 08:27  |  Alex 30/04/08
      42.   Then Assad can kiss away peace deal.. 08:39  |  x 30/04/08
      43.   How much does Syria want back the Golen Heights RIGHT ??? 08:43  |  M. S. 30/04/08
      44.   #32, sneaky johnny 08:47  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 30/04/08
      45.   Iran and its servile ally Syria. 08:48  |  Jean Van Daem 30/04/08
      46.   Johnnyboy continues his hypocrisy 08:54  |  utagawaa 30/04/08
      47.   The MYTH of Arab/Palestinian moderation 09:04  |  Abraham Saks 30/04/08
      48.   #33 Not really a claim you can back up, Uri 09:17  |  Johnboy 30/04/08
      49.   The MYTH of Arab moderation pt 2 09:20  |  Abraham Saks 30/04/08
      50.   silly johnboy and assad the beast 09:38  |  zebulun 30/04/08
      51.   johnboy and assad`s history 09:41  |  zebulun 30/04/08
      52.   johnboy are you defending a mass murderer 09:44  |  zebulun 30/04/08
      53.   GAZANS HAVING HUMANITIRIAN TRAGEDY. 09:47  |  HAND IN HAND PLEASE 30/04/08
      54.   ".. systematic dismantling of the Gaza Strip`s vital systems .." 09:51  |  GAZANS CRYING OUT 30/04/08
      55.   DUMB!! Keep fighting Israel by proxy& expect the strategic Golan? 09:52  |  PETER SM 30/04/08
      56.   IF GAZANS HUMANITARY NEEDS TO SOLVED , WE CAN STOP WWIII COMES. 09:53  |  ATİLLA KARAGÖZOĞLU 30/04/08
      57.   GAZANS NEEDS ARE MUCH IMPORTANT THAN syria, iran connection 09:54  |  Atilla Karagözoğlu 30/04/08
      58.   johnboy as israel watches the murderous frenzy that has overtaken 09:54  |  zebulun 30/04/08
      59.   WITHOUT HELPING TO GAZANS TRAGEDY, DONT HOPE SAFE TOMORROWS. 09:55  |  Atilla Karagözoğlu 30/04/08
      60.   JOEMOMA PERPARING THE APOLOGY FOR BROTHERS REJECTION OF PEACE 09:58  |  PETER SM 30/04/08
      61.   johnboy you parrot your silly ideas 10:02  |  zebulun 30/04/08
      62.   johnboy "give back not give up the heights" 10:06  |  zebulun 30/04/08
      63.   So they want their cake and eat it. 10:10  |  Leah 30/04/08
      64.   Neither Egypt nor Jordan severed ties with Iran. But 10:12  |  S 30/04/08
      65.   Don`t bite the hand that feeds you 10:18  |  Lev 30/04/08
      66.   To Johnboy, Assad just not able to give up another chair... 10:20  |  Uri 30/04/08
      67.   johnboy th etorture chambers in syria are the most obscene 10:22  |  zebulun 30/04/08
      68.   blue deep sky, blue deep oceans, green big trees 10:29  |  ... 30/04/08
      69.   VIPER talking about talking rubbish&ha ha.Basic history ignorance 10:29  |  PETER SM 30/04/08
      70.   johnboy who are the rulers of syria 10:34  |  zebulun 30/04/08
      71.   Johnboy, read # 64 by S 10:35