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Israeli-Syrian negotiations welcomed

Article published on the 2008-05-22 Latest update 2008-05-22 12:11 TU

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert (l) and Syrian Presient Bashar al-Assad(Photos: Reuters)

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert (l) and Syrian Presient Bashar al-Assad
(Photos: Reuters)

The US and Canada today welcomed Wednesday's announcement of Turkish-sponsored negotiations between Israel and Syria. Syria said it had received an Israeli committment to withdraw from the Golan Heights. Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said that Israel was prepared to make "substantial concessions" in what will be the first talks in eight years.

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 Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem said the talks were aimed at "the resumption of direct negotiations" that would bring about "just and comprehensive peace in the region".

Talks in 2000 collapsed over the question of the Golan Heights which remains a sensitive topic within Israel. 

Housing Minister Zeev Boim, of Olmert's Kadima party, said he opposed in principle any withdrawal from the Golan Heights while the President of the Council of Jewish settlements, Elia Malka, said renouncing to "a region under Israeli sovereignty to give it to the Syrians and the Iranians" would put the state of Israel in danger.

Israel has previously demanded the end of Syrian support for Hizbollah in Lebanon and for Hamas, the Palestinian movement which controls the Gaza Strip. Israel has long insisted that Syria end ties with Iran.

Canada welcomed the resumption of talks and congratulated Turkey for the "important role it is playing as mediator in this process".

The US said it would be very "helpful" if negotiations in the region included a Israel-Syria accord but that the priority was an Israeli-Palestinian deal this year.