From the Open-Publishing Calendar
From the Open-Publishing Newswire
Indybay Feature
UN envoy: Syria ready to resume peace talks with Israel ''without conditions''
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has said he is ready to restart negotiations with Israel "without conditions," UN Middle East envoy Terje Roed-Larsen said Wednesday. "President Assad had reiterated to me today that he has an outstretched hand to his Israeli counterpart, that he is willing to go to the table without conditions," Roed-Larsen said Wednesday after talks with the Syrian leader.
"This is very encouraging because we in the UN do not believe that there will be a lasting peace unless there is a comprehensive peace. We have to address all the tracks in the Middle East peace process," he said, according to AFP.
Roed-Larsen met both Assad and Syrian Foreign Minister Faruq al-Shara in Damascus.
Before Larsen's comments were published, Israel's Minister of Foreign Affairs Silvan Shalom said Syria was a source of regional "instability and extremism." Speaking following his meeting with British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw, Shalom said "The international community must also redouble its efforts to confront the other sources of instability and extremism in our region - namely the ongoing terrorist threat of Hizbullah and the dangerous policies of its sponsors - Syria and Iran. Hizbullah - under the guidance of Iran and Syria - has become a key force behind Palestinian terrorism, and the desire to undermine any possibility of peace in this region."
"At the same time, Syria continues to occupy Lebanon - against the express demands of the Security Council."
(Albawaba.com)
http://www.albawaba.com/news/index.php3?sid=289545&lang=e&dir=news
Roed-Larsen met both Assad and Syrian Foreign Minister Faruq al-Shara in Damascus.
Before Larsen's comments were published, Israel's Minister of Foreign Affairs Silvan Shalom said Syria was a source of regional "instability and extremism." Speaking following his meeting with British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw, Shalom said "The international community must also redouble its efforts to confront the other sources of instability and extremism in our region - namely the ongoing terrorist threat of Hizbullah and the dangerous policies of its sponsors - Syria and Iran. Hizbullah - under the guidance of Iran and Syria - has become a key force behind Palestinian terrorism, and the desire to undermine any possibility of peace in this region."
"At the same time, Syria continues to occupy Lebanon - against the express demands of the Security Council."
(Albawaba.com)
http://www.albawaba.com/news/index.php3?sid=289545&lang=e&dir=news
Add Your Comments
Comments
(Hide Comments)
Syrian President Bashar Assad is ready to resume peace talks with Israel "without conditions," UN Middle East envoy Terje Roed-Larsen said Wednesday. Israeli officials dismissed Assad's overtures, saying "it's the same declarations, the same tactics" that have been coming from Damascus for months.
"President Assad has reiterated to me today that he has an outstretched hand to his Israeli counterparts and that he is willing to go to the table without conditions," Larsen told a news conference following talks with the Syrian president and his foreign minister, Farouk al-Sharaa.
"This is also very encouraging because the United Nations does not believe that there will be a lasting peace unless there is a comprehensive peace," Roed-Larsen said of Assad's remarks.
"We have to address all the tracks of the Middle East peace process." Asked by reporters what he meant by Assad being willing to resume talks "without conditions," Roed-Larsen replied, "I cannot speak on behalf of the president of Syria. I've just conveyed the basic message I received from the president this morning. This has been the long-standing position of the president of Syria but it was reiterated to me today."
Israeli officials rushed to rebuke Syria's offer to renew peace talks, with one official saying, "these offers are nothing new." An official in the Prime Minister's Office said that were Assad serious about negotiations with Israel he would close down the terrorist training camps on Syrian soil and stop acting as a channel through which arms are funneled by Iran to the Hizbullah.
"Assad needs to shows us through actions that he is serious," the official said. "He can't talk about peace on one hand, yet continue to support terrorist organizations on the other." The official said that Syria is using overtures toward Israel, as it has in the past, in order to reduce US pressure.
Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom said Israel very much wants to renew negotiations with Syria, "just like Israel wants to reach a diplomatic agreement with all of its neighbors." Shalom however said that the latest "opportunity" from Damascus needs to be examined in the proper light.
"It could be that all this talk of renewed negotiations could be an attempt to reduce American pressure on the regime in Damascus. Syria is under very serious pressure by the United States," Shalom told Channel 1. "The UN Security Council last month called on Syria to end its occupation of Lebanon. America has instituted the Syria accountability act. These may be the reasons Damascus is calling for talks."
"We would like very much to talk to the Syrians. However, it's not acceptable that the same time that they talk about peace, they facilitate terrorism inside Israel. There is still Hamas and Islamic Jihad activity in Damascus. Their training camps in Syria are still active. Iranian missiles are still making their way to the Hizbullah via the airport in Damascus. Hizbullah is very involved in terrorism inside Israel, and Syria is a sponsor of Hizbullah.
"Our position is clear: If we have a real partner for peace, the current Israeli government is ready for peace with all of its neighbors.
"I truly believe that if the elections in Iraq and the Palestinian Authority come out positively, then the options to renew contacts and reopen embassies here – including those of Arab countries – is more than realistic," Shalom said.
Foreign Ministry spokesman, Mark Regev, said there was "nothing new" in Assad's remarks as conveyed by Roed-Larsen.
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull&cid=1101270343247
"President Assad has reiterated to me today that he has an outstretched hand to his Israeli counterparts and that he is willing to go to the table without conditions," Larsen told a news conference following talks with the Syrian president and his foreign minister, Farouk al-Sharaa.
"This is also very encouraging because the United Nations does not believe that there will be a lasting peace unless there is a comprehensive peace," Roed-Larsen said of Assad's remarks.
"We have to address all the tracks of the Middle East peace process." Asked by reporters what he meant by Assad being willing to resume talks "without conditions," Roed-Larsen replied, "I cannot speak on behalf of the president of Syria. I've just conveyed the basic message I received from the president this morning. This has been the long-standing position of the president of Syria but it was reiterated to me today."
Israeli officials rushed to rebuke Syria's offer to renew peace talks, with one official saying, "these offers are nothing new." An official in the Prime Minister's Office said that were Assad serious about negotiations with Israel he would close down the terrorist training camps on Syrian soil and stop acting as a channel through which arms are funneled by Iran to the Hizbullah.
"Assad needs to shows us through actions that he is serious," the official said. "He can't talk about peace on one hand, yet continue to support terrorist organizations on the other." The official said that Syria is using overtures toward Israel, as it has in the past, in order to reduce US pressure.
Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom said Israel very much wants to renew negotiations with Syria, "just like Israel wants to reach a diplomatic agreement with all of its neighbors." Shalom however said that the latest "opportunity" from Damascus needs to be examined in the proper light.
"It could be that all this talk of renewed negotiations could be an attempt to reduce American pressure on the regime in Damascus. Syria is under very serious pressure by the United States," Shalom told Channel 1. "The UN Security Council last month called on Syria to end its occupation of Lebanon. America has instituted the Syria accountability act. These may be the reasons Damascus is calling for talks."
"We would like very much to talk to the Syrians. However, it's not acceptable that the same time that they talk about peace, they facilitate terrorism inside Israel. There is still Hamas and Islamic Jihad activity in Damascus. Their training camps in Syria are still active. Iranian missiles are still making their way to the Hizbullah via the airport in Damascus. Hizbullah is very involved in terrorism inside Israel, and Syria is a sponsor of Hizbullah.
"Our position is clear: If we have a real partner for peace, the current Israeli government is ready for peace with all of its neighbors.
"I truly believe that if the elections in Iraq and the Palestinian Authority come out positively, then the options to renew contacts and reopen embassies here – including those of Arab countries – is more than realistic," Shalom said.
Foreign Ministry spokesman, Mark Regev, said there was "nothing new" in Assad's remarks as conveyed by Roed-Larsen.
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull&cid=1101270343247
We are 100% volunteer and depend on your participation to sustain our efforts!
Get Involved
If you'd like to help with maintaining or developing the website, contact us.
Publish
Publish your stories and upcoming events on Indybay.
Topics
More
Search Indybay's Archives
Advanced Search
►
▼
IMC Network