Peres: If Assad wants Israel-Syria peace, why is he shy?

President Shimon Peres on Sunday urged his Syrian counterpart, Bashar Assad, to agree to engage in direct peace negotiations with Israel.

"The Syrians should be ready to talk. If President Assad wants peace, why is he shy?" Peres said after participating in an international economic meeting sponsored by the Geneva-based World Economic Forum.

Peres, a Nobel Peace Prize winner whose office is largely ceremonial, told reporters in Jordan that some had suggested Assad and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meet and start talking directly.

"We suggested many times direct talks," he added. "[Assad] thinks direct talks is a prize to Israel. It's not a prize. It's normal."

Israel and Syria conducted indirect peace negotiations through Turkish mediators last year. But Syria suspended them over Israel's war in Gaza in December and January. Peres said the Syrians have been trying to get the United States involved as an intermediary in the indirect talks.

He said he did not believe the indirect contacts through Turkey had resumed.

"Right now, I don't think there's anything happening, he said, pointing to Israel's preoccupation with elections that brought center-right Likud leader Netanyahu to office in March.

Syria is demanding that Israel agree to return the entire Golan Heights, territory captured in the 1967 Six Day War, in any peace deal. Assad said last week he did not think the new hard-line Israeli government was a good partner for the peace talks.

Just a few days ago, Netanyahu said he would not return the Golan.

Peres said a gesture by Syria would be more important than all the negotiations.

"Change the air," he said. "There stands the president and he said he doesn't want to meet. Why? You want us to give back something, but he doesn't suggest to give us back anything."

Peres: Time is ripe to advance Mideast peace

Earlier Sunday, Peres said the time was ripe to advance Middle East peace talks, speaking after talks in Jordan with King Abdullah II.

The president told reporters that the political gap between Israel and the Palestinians was shrinking. He also called for the advancement of the Arab peace initiative, which stipulates that all 57 Muslim states must recognize Israel. The president said the plan was a "great idea" and that Israel should examine the details in full.

Peres met with the Jordanian king in a bid to overcome the diplomatic crisis between the two states. The pair were to discuss how to advance peace with the Palestinians on the basis of the Arab peace initiative.

During his visit to Jordan, Peres was also to address hundreds of delegates, including Iranian, Syrian, Lebanese and Gulf businessmen at the World Economic Forum, which is being held in the country.

Jordanian Prime Minister Nadr al-Dahabi earlier Sunday called on U.S. President Barack Obama to convene all relevant entities involved in the Middle East peace process and attempt to finally reach a settlement.

Al-Dahabi said Israel's security was of utmost importance and could be guaranteed through negotiations, but nevertheless called on Jerusalem to halt steps viewed as toppling the peace process.

In particular, al-Dahabi referenced continued construction in West Bank settlements, the creation of outposts, and controversial archaeological projects in Jerusalem.

Jordanian Foreign Minister Naser Joudeh, meanwhile, said Sunday that no chances would be made to the 2002 Arab peace initiative, as its principles were clearly marked and agreed upon by Arab leaders at their last summit in Doha.

In response to the Jordanian prime minister's remarks on Sunday, Arab League Chief Amr Moussa urged all Arab states to condition future talks with Israel on its freezing of settlements.

The Jordanian comments came a day before Obama was set to hold a meeting with Netanyahu, who arrived in Washington on Sunday.

At the meeting with Obama, Netanyahu intends to emphasize his intention to resume the peace talks with the Palestinians soon, but with the participation of the moderate Arab states.

	President Shimon Peres addressing World Economic Forum at a Jordanian Dead Sea resort on Sunday.
	Photo by: (Reuters)