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Syrian President Bashar Assad (AP)
Last update - 09:55 15/06/2008
Olmert aides: Israel and Syria may hold direct talks soon
By Barak Ravid and Yoav Stern, Haaretz Correspondents and News Agencies
Tags: Israel, Bashar Assad, Syria

Israel and Syria will soon be able to hold direct talks, according to aides of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert involved in the two countries' indirect negotiations.

Shalom Turgeman, Olmert's chief diplomatic aide, told foreign diplomats that talks which have so far been conducted via Turkish mediation may soon move to the next stage.

Turgeman said he does not believe the talks will be affected by the latest corruption investigation against Olmert, who is suspected of having illicitly received hundreds of thousands of dollars from a Jewish American millionaire.
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Israel and Syria announced last month that they were resuming negotiations using Turkish mediators. Turgeman and another Olmert adviser, Yoram Turbowicz, have taken part in a number of meetings in Istanbul over moving the negotiations forward, but no progress has been announced. Talks in Turkey may resume at the end of the week.

On Saturday, French President Nicolas Sarkozy met with U.S. President George W. Bush in the United States and discussed the Israel-Syria talks. Sarkozy told reporters after the meeting that Syria must distance itself from Iran and its nuclear ambitions.

Syria: We'll get the Golan back with or without peace

Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister Fayssal Mekdad said on Saturday that Syria has the "non-peaceful" means to retrieve the Golan Heights - which Israel captured from Syria during the 1967 Six-Day War - should peace talks with Israel fail to achieve that goal.

Mekdad, a former Syrian ambassador to the United Nations, told the Jordanian newspaper Ad-Dustour that Israelis living in the Golan Heights, whom he termed "settlers," must know that Syria would "defend its land within minutes."

Mekdad also reiterated to Israelis living in the area that the Golan is Syrian territory and that they are "forbidden from raising children there, because it is not their place and they will not be able to reside there."

He then asked rhetorically, "What is preferable - liberating the Golan through peace and without bloodshed or liberating the land through war? We are not afraid of launching a peace process with Israel."

Mekdad's comments come one day after Syrian President Bashar Assad said in an interview published Friday by The Hindu that Damascus suspects Israel decided to return to negotiations after an eight-year hiatus as a result its failings in the Second Lebanon War and the realization that it could not live securely among its neighbors without peace.

"The Israelis used to think that with time they were going to be stronger and any opposition to their policies would be weaker, but actually what happened was the opposite," Assad told the Indian newspaper. "Now, the Israelis learned that without peace they cannot live safely and Israel cannot be safe."

"I think this is true especially after the war on Lebanon and because of the result of that war inside the Israeli society; this is the main incentive for the Israelis to move toward peace," he added.

Assad also said that Israel never asked Syria to cuts its relations with Hamas, Hezbollah and Iran as a pre-condition for peace negotiations.

When asked by The Hindu what the Syrian response was to such a request, Assad said: "Nobody asked us to do this. The Israelis have been talking about negotiations without pre-conditions. So, they cannot ask for conditions for the negotiations, and they have not asked either."

"Iran does not interfere in Syrian issues," Assad told The Hindu. "They support the Syrian cause whether we are happy or they are happy, and that's why the relations between Syria and Iran are very strong."

Israel and Syria announced last month that they had agreed to hold indirect peace talks through Turkish mediation. At the heart of the negotiations is the return by Israel to Syria of the Golan Heights, a strategic plateau captured by Israel in the 1967 Six-Day War.

In the interview with The Hindu, Assad reiterated the Syrian demand that Israel return the Golan Heights in exchange for peace.

When asked what Syria could give Israel in return, Assad said: "We [Syria] don't have something to give but we have something to achieve together, which is peace... It is something we achieve together, but Israel has the land and should give it back."

In the interview, Assad refuted claims that a Syrian facility bombed by Israel in September was allegedly being used for nuclear development under the guidance of North Korea.

Assad said the story "was fabricated 100 percent," adding: "How could it be nuclear, where are the radiations, where are the protections of this facility? How can you build such a facility under the daily watch of satellites?"

The Syrian president responded affirmatively to the question of whether the U.S. was trying to create an atmosphere of suspicion against Damascus.

"This is the image of this [U.S.] administration; everybody in the world still remembers what happened in Iraq when they had all that evidence, but then it was proved that everything was fabricated; even Colin Powel confessed in an interview that he was not truthful, and we all know the same, and most of the countries know about the problem between Syria and the U.S., and they always try to find traps for Syria. This is reality."

French FM Kouchner says 'not amused' by Assad visit to Paris

Meanwhile, France's foreign minister said Friday he was uncomfortable the
president of Syria has been invited to Paris's Bastille Day parade, even
though such visits are necessary to keep dialogue open.

"I'm not especially amused by Syrian President Bashar Assad's visit," Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said on Europe-1 radio. But he said Syria has made progress by resuming peace talks with Israel.

"The visit doesn't leave me totally at ease, but this is what we have to do or else we'll maintain a state of tensions, difficulties and probably
confrontations," Kouchner said.

Assad has been invited to France in July along with other leaders of Europe, North Africa and the Middle East, including Israel, to discuss President Nicolas Sarkozy's plan for a union of Mediterranean countries.

While they are in France, they have also been invited to attend the July 14 Bastille Day parade.

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  • Defense sources: Syria arming Hezbollah, despite Israel talks
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      1.   IF ONLY ISRAEL KNEW 12:05  |  VIPER 13/06/08
      2.   Actually,like other Israeli PM`s,Olmert wanted his shot at glory 12:11  |  Sam 13/06/08
      3.   Yes. Either PEACE, or the Golan. Whichever. 12:14  |  S 13/06/08
      4.   Giving away the Golan can only lead to a catastrophe! 12:24  |  Jean Van Daem 13/06/08
      5.   IRAN IS THE KEY, NOT THE US 12:45  |  indrajaya 13/06/08
      6.   Middle Eastern Diplomacy. Riddles & Spin. 13:08  |  Stephen. 13/06/08
      7.   Indrajaya 13:32  |  ATLAS 13/06/08
      8.   # 1 Will you give a part of Australia? 13:42  |  CM 13/06/08
      9.   to Indrayaya 13:53  |  Harry 13/06/08
      10.   Jean Van Daem #4 14:12  |  warmongers anon 13/06/08
      11.   Who owns the land 14:41  |  Seyi 13/06/08
      12.   5.Indrajaya,agreed that Iran is the key but whether the one 14:48  |  lakshmi 13/06/08
      13.   Assad, Israel is still suffering from shock and awe 14:50  |  Mark B. 13/06/08
      14.   criminaly insane gangster,ready to dismantle israel 14:52  |  chaim 13/06/08
      15.   You must keep the Golan, you cannot trust Syria 15:16  |  The Equalizer 13/06/08
      16.   Olmert 15:17  |  K 13/06/08
      17.   ASSAD; WHAT A BOZO! 15:42  |  Akiva P 13/06/08
      18.   # 1 - Vipers bite themselves 15:49  |  Guido 13/06/08
      19.   Safety is NEVER achieved via the surrender of Land 16:45  |  Linda Rivera 13/06/08
      20.   In all of history No Nation has Ever Returned Land to those 16:51  |  Linda Rivera 13/06/08
      21.   To Indrajaya and Lakshmi keep dreaming 16:59  |  Abu Yusuf 13/06/08
      22.   Peace for Safety 17:06  |  Dr. David Feigenbaum 13/06/08
      23.   Mark B.: also for the Palestinians 17:36  |  Jewboy 13/06/08
      24.   Syria has learned it can have it BOT WAYS: "peace" and Terror. 17:37  |  Fortuna Benmayor 13/06/08
      25.   Olmert understands things very sloooowly (and he ain`t there yet) 17:46  |  Tosefta 13/06/08
      26.   #1 Military "expert" Viper 17:47  |  DesMnsDave 13/06/08
      27.   Safety from Arab Extortionists, Kidnappers and Murders 17:49  |  Avi 13/06/08
      28.   #13 Not for keeps? Says Who? 17:53  |  DesMnsDave 13/06/08
      29.   The Golan: Is the price worth it? 17:54  |  Jewboy 13/06/08
      30.   Viper: Your Full of Baloney 17:57  |  Brad 13/06/08
      31.   Syria Must Release IDF soldiers Fieldman , Bauman & Catz 18:51  |  Joseph.E 13/06/08
      32.   Assad is right 19:09  |  Palestinian in UK 13/06/08
      33.   There is no security without peace 19:50  |  The Boss 13/06/08
      34.   assad is wrong Israel does not want peace it wants 20:01  |  American in NY 13/06/08
      35.   Assad: Israel has learned it needs peace for safety 20:16  |  Julian 13/06/08
      36.   look who s talking 20:25  |  tom 13/06/08
      37.   Israel is Lucky now that Jews are runing France 20:34  |  Israel 13/06/08
      38.   Arabs(Pals) are also learning.. 21:07  |  judith 13/06/08
      39.   Israel - This Is What You Get 22:29  |  Tod Zuckerman 13/06/08
      40.   The Only Thing Israel Has Learned Is Kadima Must Go, 23:11  |  Dish It Out 13/06/08
      41.   Tod Zuckerman - APPEASERS EVERYWHERE! 23:47  |  Dick Hertz 13/06/08
      42.   @34, american in NY aka mahmud 01:01  |  vladimir 14/06/08
      43.   Openly false! 01:18  |  Webster 14/06/08
      44.   Stolen land? 01:35  |  Reuven 14/06/08
      45.   Israel should STFU & GTFO Syrian land that Israel STOLE 02:16  |  POP 14/06/08
      46.   #CM. It`s too late, the Zionist founding fathers refused... 02:37  |  Maureen Ann 14/06/08
      47.   #18, GUIDO and his illogical assumptions 05:25  |  VIPER 14/06/08
      48.   POOP! 05:38  |  Avi 14/06/08
      49.   Wow, what a deep analysis. But have you learned anything? 07:08  |  Dan 14/06/08
      50.   assad`s head 07:18  |  Ms Siamese 14/06/08
      51.   Syria`s relations with Hamas Hezbollah and Iran 09:19  |  austeen 14/06/08
      52.   assad - the MOUSE who thinks he ROARS 10:09  |  CK Tan 14/06/08
      53.   #1 viper`s tiny BRAIN tries but OVERDOSES on ELEPHANT-SIZED ideas 10:11  |  CK Tan 14/06/08
      54.   #46 maureen - It is Israel who is LUCKY 10:14  |  CK Tan 14/06/08
      55.   #45 pop FIZZLES even before he can FINISH his LIE 10:15  |  CK Tan 14/06/08
      56.   Assad Has It Backwards 11:14  |  B`Galil 14/06/08
      57.   Israel gives up Golan and gets.... 11:37  |  guy 14/06/08
      58.   Is Olmer listening? 12:06  |  Jim 14/06/08
      59.   #39 Dish It Out 12:15  |  Jim 14/06/08
      60.   #56 B`Galil No peace, no security 12:24  |  Jim 14/06/08
      61.   The Assad 16:46  |  Like a Lion 14/06/08
      62.   With oil at 140$, Iran can be very helpful to recover the Golan 16:50  |  Aounist 14/06/08
      63.   Sounds of another 80 Syrian jets falling from the skys? 16:58  |  Butch 14/06/08
      64.   Never to be given away! 17:00  |  georges 14/06/08
      65.   Syria will retrieve Golan even without peace 17:09  |  Oleg 14/06/08
      66.   Assad 17:14  |  Oleg 14/06/08
      67.   Do not miscalculate. 17:19  |  Vital 14/06/08
      68.