Syrian Leader Says Peace With Israel May Be Possible

An Arabic newspaper quoted Syrian President Bashar al-Assad as saying he may agree to sign a peace deal with Israel, but the two countries will not have fully normal relations unless the Jewish state also makes peace with the Palestinians. Syrian Pres. Assad at the emergency Arab leaders summit on Gaza in Doha, Qatar on 16 Jan 2009In an interview with the United Arab Emirates newspaper "Al-Khaleej," Mr. Assad said he can envision Syria and Israel exchanging embassies, but "there is a difference between a peace agreement and peace itself."The Syrian leader said "a peace agreement is a signed piece of paper" but does not mean open borders, trade or normal relations. He said it will be impossible to have a "comprehensive peace" that will be accepted by the Syrian people without also resolving the Palestinian situation.He called on Palestinian negotiators to coordinate with Syria over their own peace talks with Israel so the two issues will not be separated.Last year, Turkey mediated indirect talks between Israel and Syria. They had previously held direct negotiations, but those stalled in 2000.Damascus wants Israel to return the Golan Heights, a strategic plateau the Jewish state captured from Syria in the 1967 Middle East war. Israel wants Syria to cut ties with Iran and militant groups such as Lebanon's Hezbollah and the Palestinian movement Hamas.A senior U.S. senator who met with Mr. Assad in Damascus last month said the Syrian leader would like the United States to join the peace discussions.

Some information for this report was provided by AP

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