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Turkish, Syrian leaders discuss Iran, Mideast - Hurriyet Daily News and Economic Review
The leaders of Turkey and Syria urged Saturday for a diplomatic solution to tensions over Iran's nuclear program and accused Israel of hampering peace efforts in the Middle East.
The dispute between Iran and Western powers should be "resolved without being protracted further, through diplomatic means," Turkish President Abdullah Gül told a joint news conference with visiting Syrian counterpart Bashar al-Assad.
The Syrian leader lent support to recently intensified Turkish efforts to help resolve the standoff, among them a proposal to host renewed talks between Iranian and Western officials, revealed Friday. "We would like Turkey to keep up its positive role," al-Assad said through an interpreter. Al-Asad said any country could use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. "We want to see that the Middle East is free of any weapons of mass destruction."
The two leaders said they discussed also the situation in the Middle East, denouncing controversial Israeli plans to build fresh settler homes in annexed Arab east Jerusalem. "This is a very dangerous trend," Gül said, adding that the expansion of Israeli settlements might lead "to things getting out of control."
"I don't think conditions are ripe for a successful mediation because Israel does not appear to be ready for peace," al-Assad told a joint news conference. Al-Assad said Syria was still working for progress to reach peace with Israel. "Even if there is one percent risk of a war, we are working to eliminate that," al-Assad said in response to a question over whether the two rivals could go to war over their conflicts.
Israel is not ready
Gül said Syria had several times expressed readiness to resume the talks, but Israel had failed to follow suit. "Israel is not ready for honest mediation," Assad said.
Al-Assad accused Israel of maintaining hostile policies toward the Palestinians and not compromising from its stance, hampering the Mideast peace process. Gül said Turkey would like to help contribute to the peace process for the stability and welfare of the region.
Turkey mediated four rounds of indirect talks between Israel and Syria in 2008, but the process collapsed when Israel launched a deadly offensive into the Gaza Strip at the end of the year. Since then, Turkey's ties with Israel, a close regional ally, have badly deteriorated amid vehement criticism from Ankara of the Israel's heavy-handed policies against the Palestinians.
Syria has demanded the full withdrawal of Israeli troops from the Golan Heights as a condition for peace. Israel's current government rejects preconditions. On Iran's controversial nuclear program, both Syria and Turkey extended support for peaceful use of nuclear energy by everyone, urging a diplomatic solution to the international standoff.
Palestinians approve indirect talks with Israel
Meanwhile, Palestinian leaders on Friday gave their backing for indirect peace talks with Israel, clearing the way for the Obama administration's first sustained on-the-ground Mideast peace effort.
U.S. Mideast envoy George Mitchell will now shuttle between the Israeli and Palestinian leaders for up to four months to try to narrow the vast gaps on the terms of Palestinian statehood.
Saturday's decision by the Palestine Liberation Organization's Executive Committee and the Fatah Central Committee was widely expected since Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has expressed interested in the indirect negotiations and has received Arab League support.
PLO general secretary Yasser Abed Rabbo told reporters the Palestinians decided to engage Israel, even if indirectly, because they received U.S. guarantees "regarding settlement activities and the necessity of stopping them."
Abbas has said he will not hold direct talks until Israel stops all settlement construction on war-won lands the Palestinians seek for their state. Israel has only agreed to a partial slowdown in the West Bank, but not in east Jerusalem, the sector of the city Palestinians claim as a future capital.
The indirect talks were devised as a compromise, but the arrangement was thrown into doubt in March when Israel announced new plans to build 1,600 homes for Jews in east Jerusalem, enraging the Palestinians and prompting them to back out of negotiations just as they were to start. Since then, the U.S. has worked to coax the Palestinians back to the table.
The leaders of Turkey and Syria urged Saturday for a diplomatic solution to tensions over Iran's nuclear program and accused Israel of hampering peace efforts in the Middle East.
The dispute between Iran and Western powers should be "resolved without being protracted further, through diplomatic means," Turkish President Abdullah Gül told a joint news conference with visiting Syrian counterpart Bashar al-Assad.
The Syrian leader lent support to recently intensified Turkish efforts to help resolve the standoff, among them a proposal to host renewed talks between Iranian and Western officials, revealed Friday. "We would like Turkey to keep up its positive role," al-Assad said through an interpreter. Al-Asad said any country could use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. "We want to see that the Middle East is free of any weapons of mass destruction."
The two leaders said they discussed also the situation in the Middle East, denouncing controversial Israeli plans to build fresh settler homes in annexed Arab east Jerusalem. "This is a very dangerous trend," Gül said, adding that the expansion of Israeli settlements might lead "to things getting out of control."
"I don't think conditions are ripe for a successful mediation because Israel does not appear to be ready for peace," al-Assad told a joint news conference. Al-Assad said Syria was still working for progress to reach peace with Israel. "Even if there is one percent risk of a war, we are working to eliminate that," al-Assad said in response to a question over whether the two rivals could go to war over their conflicts.
Israel is not ready
Gül said Syria had several times expressed readiness to resume the talks, but Israel had failed to follow suit. "Israel is not ready for honest mediation," Assad said.
Al-Assad accused Israel of maintaining hostile policies toward the Palestinians and not compromising from its stance, hampering the Mideast peace process. Gül said Turkey would like to help contribute to the peace process for the stability and welfare of the region.
Turkey mediated four rounds of indirect talks between Israel and Syria in 2008, but the process collapsed when Israel launched a deadly offensive into the Gaza Strip at the end of the year. Since then, Turkey's ties with Israel, a close regional ally, have badly deteriorated amid vehement criticism from Ankara of the Israel's heavy-handed policies against the Palestinians.
Syria has demanded the full withdrawal of Israeli troops from the Golan Heights as a condition for peace. Israel's current government rejects preconditions. On Iran's controversial nuclear program, both Syria and Turkey extended support for peaceful use of nuclear energy by everyone, urging a diplomatic solution to the international standoff.
Palestinians approve indirect talks with Israel
Meanwhile, Palestinian leaders on Friday gave their backing for indirect peace talks with Israel, clearing the way for the Obama administration's first sustained on-the-ground Mideast peace effort.
U.S. Mideast envoy George Mitchell will now shuttle between the Israeli and Palestinian leaders for up to four months to try to narrow the vast gaps on the terms of Palestinian statehood.
Saturday's decision by the Palestine Liberation Organization's Executive Committee and the Fatah Central Committee was widely expected since Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has expressed interested in the indirect negotiations and has received Arab League support.
PLO general secretary Yasser Abed Rabbo told reporters the Palestinians decided to engage Israel, even if indirectly, because they received U.S. guarantees "regarding settlement activities and the necessity of stopping them."
Abbas has said he will not hold direct talks until Israel stops all settlement construction on war-won lands the Palestinians seek for their state. Israel has only agreed to a partial slowdown in the West Bank, but not in east Jerusalem, the sector of the city Palestinians claim as a future capital.
The indirect talks were devised as a compromise, but the arrangement was thrown into doubt in March when Israel announced new plans to build 1,600 homes for Jews in east Jerusalem, enraging the Palestinians and prompting them to back out of negotiations just as they were to start. Since then, the U.S. has worked to coax the Palestinians back to the table.
