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Syrian President Bashar Assad (file)
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| By Israel Insider staff July 18, 2007 |
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The Israeli Foreign Ministry confirmed speculations that Turkey, European countries and America have been mediating contacts between Israel and Syria. The Israeli government, however, is not placing high hopes on these interactions.
"Different parties have been used to send messages. This is not new. It has been going on for quite some time," Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Regev said, according to Ynet. "The problem is not the lack of good people offering their good offices. The problem appears to be with the policy goals of the regime in Damascus."
"While it is possible that they talk about peace, that?s all it is - talk. They are in fact playing the Israeli card cynically in attempts to solve their diplomatic problems with the countries of Europe and North America without any real intentions to change their relationship with Israel," he said.
Israeli officials often point to the Syrian government's continual arms smuggling to terrorist groups in Lebanon sworn to Israel's destruction. Despite United Nations' condemnations, Assad denies any such activity.
Syrian President Bashar Assad is also demanding that Israel cede the Golan Heights, a highly strategic plateau that Israel won in the 1967 war, as a requisite condition to peace talks.
Olmert issued a statement on Tuesday saying that while talk of peace is good, he refuses to agree to give Syria back the Golan Heights before entering negotiations.
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