Syrian leader confirms Israeli peace offer

[AlphaCentauri]

Source: USA TODAY

BEIRUT (AP) — Syrian President Bashar Assad confirmed in remarks published Thursday Turkish mediation between his country and Israel but suggested there would be no direct negotiations with the Jewish state until a new U.S. administration takes office.
Assad's comments in Qatar's Al-Watan newspaper provided the first details of Turkish mediation, which Damascus says has yielded an Israeli offer for a withdrawal from the Golan Heights in return for a peace treaty with Syria.

He said Turkey began its mediation in April last year and that there would be no secret talks with Israel. The preliminary stages of talks, he said, would be held with Turkey as a go-between.

"Maybe with the coming administration in the United States we can talk about direct negotiations," he told Al-Watan, which only published excerpts of the interview.



Read more: http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2008-04-24-syria-israel_N.htm

[Baby Snooks]

1. I guess they don't like our king either....

The problem is Hamas. Not that it is a terrorist group. That it is the majority representative of the Palestinians. Elected by the Palestinians. We claim to defend democracy. But only when the democracy elects who we want elected. Which in many countries has not been defending democracy but merely installing "friendly" dictators.

I doubt they will deal directly with either Clinton or McCain because both have signalled they will continue the policy of the Bushes in the Middle East. And so we will continue to have war. For oil. And profit. Not war to defend democracy.

Israel and Palestine should return to the Partition Plan of 1947 and abide by it. As should everyone else.

[ohio2007]

2. Trade land and water for peace

an independent Damascus-based website, reported Wednesday that Prime Minister Ehud K. Olmert has informed Damascus via a third party that Israel is willing to conduct a full withdrawal from the Golan Heights in exchange for peace with Syria. According to the report, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan informed President Bashar Assad of Israel's position. Erdogan is expected to visit Damascus on Saturday. In a recent interview, Olmert said he hoped his efforts concerning Syria would soon be realized but failed to reveal details. No Israeli Prime Minister has ever offered Syria the entire Golan Heights. In 2000, negotiations with Syria fell apart when then-Prime Minister Ehud Barak insisted on retaining a small strip of land around the Sea of Galilee.

snip
http://israelmatzav.blogspot.com/2008/04/olmert-agrees-to-withdraw-completely.html

Water is a very big carrot but
the devil is in the details of these closed door deals. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oyl0NR20U0c&eurl=http://israelmatzav.blogspot.com/2008/04/olmert-agrees-to-withdraw-completely.html

[liberal N proud]

3. What does that tell you...

"no direct negotiations with the Jewish state until a new U.S. administration takes office"

[ohio2007]

4. Syria has to ante up behind closed doors

If they want the US to enter direct negotiations for getting their land back;

Saddam's VP al-Douri in Damascus, Syria, Iran export death to Iraq - Iraqi official

Baghdad, Apr 22,2008 (VOI)- Iraqi National Security Adviser Muwafaq al-Rubaei accused Syria and Iran of exporting death to Iraq, underlining that former vice president Izzat Ibrahim al-Douri exists in Damascus.

In an interview with London-based al-Sharq al-Awsat newspaper in its edition today, al-Rubaei said "death comes to us from Syria and Iran...Syrian system is an intelligent one and they could control the flow of suicide bombers who come from North Africa, Yemen and gulf."
"Around 110 suicide attackers used to enter Iraq every month. This number decreased and if the Syrian security authorities worked hard, they can stop this flow of attackers," he continued.
"The suicide attackers, who arrive in Iraq, come from Damascus and most of them are infiltrators," he added.

snip
http://uruknet.info/?p=m43326&s1=h1

So who knows whats going on between third parties.... twice removed off the record....

Saddam Hussein's ally Izzat Ibrahim al-Duri 'captured' in Iraq
Last Updated: 2:46am BST 24/04/2008
Al-Arabiya television said that the man was caught in Hamrin between the provinces of Salaheddin and Kirkuk and was moved to Baghdad where he was said to have been handed over to US forces. DNA tests are being conducted to confirm his identity, the report added.

Duri tops the Iraqi government's current list of most-wanted fugitives.Abu Mohammed, who was described as Duri's representative in Syria, told Al-Arabiya that the report was fabricated.Duri is free and secure and "leading the resistance and jihad in Iraq," he claimed.

Al-Arabiya quoted "US forces" as saying the person captured "looks like" Duri.


snip


http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2008/04/24/wiraq124.xml


and from the top dog of rumor mills;


Exclusive: Dispute over former Iraqi VP Izzat Ibrahim’s reported capture

snip


http://www.debka.com/headline.php?hid=5212
not the most respected source but the rumor mill is turning again, on a slow newsday, that this guy who supposedly died two years ago of a physical ailment has been pushed across the Syrian border back into Iraq.

[bemildred]

5. Israeli PM Sets Off Politicial Storm After Reportedly Offering Golan to Syria

There is outrage in Israel after Syria's leader claimed that he received a major territorial concession from the Jewish state. Robert Berger reports from the VOA bureau in Jerusalem.

Reports that Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has offered to return the strategic Golan Heights to Syria have set off a political storm in Israel. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad told an Arab newspaper that Mr. Olmert sent messages saying that Israel would trade the Golan for full peace with Syria. Israel captured the territory from Syria during the Six Day War in 1967 and annexed it in 1981.

The prime minister's office would not confirm the offer, though Mr. Olmert said last week that he has sent messages to Syria expressing interest in resuming peace talks. He also said that everyone knows the price of peace, a clear reference to returning the Golan to Syrian control.

Zalman Shoval is a former Israeli ambassador to Washington and member of the hawkish opposition Likud party. He says offering the strategic high ground is a catastrophic mistake.

http://www.voanews.com/english/2008-04-24-voa43.cfm

[struggle4progress]

6. Syrian president ready to talk to Israel once Bush term ends

By SAM F. GHATTAS
Associated Press Writer

Syrian President Bashar Assad has confirmed in a newspaper interview Turkish mediation with Israel, but suggests there will be no direct negotiations with the Jewish state until a new U.S. administration takes office. Assad's comments provide the first details of Turkish mediation. Syria says the mediation has yielded an Israeli offer for a withdrawal from the Golan Heights in return for a peace treaty with Damascus. Israel has declined to comment on the reported offer ...

Syrian President Bashar Assad said that Turkish mediation over the past year could lay the groundwork for direct talks and that Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert had passed a message to Syria saying he is prepared to hand over the Golan Heights in return for peace.

In an interview with the Qatari newspaper Al-Watan, Assad said the United States is the only country that can sponsor direct Syrian-Israel negotiations. But he said the Bush administration, which leaves office in January, "does not have the vision or will for the peace process."

Assad said Turkish officials passed on a message a week ago that Olmert had "assured the Turkish prime minister of his readiness to return the Golan" ...

http://www.kansascity.com/451/story/590337.html