Politics
Mideast: Syrian president says peace possible with Israel
Dubai, 9 March (AKI) - Syrian president Bashar al-Assad says peace with Israel is possible, providing peace is achieved with the Palestinians. "There is a difference between a peace agreement and peace itself. A peace agreement is a piece of paper you sign. This does not mean trade and normal relations, or borders, or otherwise," said al-Assad in an interview with Dubai-based daily Al-Khaleej published on Monday.
Al-Assad said he was concerned that if Syria signed a peace agreement with Israel, the Palestinian question would be put on hold.
"We believe that if Israel signs (a peace accord) with Syria, Israel will put away the Palestinian question."
Regarding the plight of Palestinian refugees in Syria, Assad said a comprehensive peace agreement was crucial for the Syrian people to accept any deal.
"There will perhaps be an embassy and formalities, but if you want peace then it has to be comprehensive. We give them the choice between comprehensive peace and a peace agreement which does not have any real value on the ground," he said.
"Our people will not accept that, especially since there are half a million Palestinians in our country whose position remains unresolved. It is impossible under these terms to have peace in the natural sense."
Following the 1967 Six-Day War, Israel captured the Syrian territory of the Golan Heights and annexed it to its territory in 1981. Syria and Israel have been technically at war ever since.
Last May Israel and Syria launched peace talks aimed at a comprehensive peace agreement, under the auspices of Turkey.
Negotiations reached a stalemate in September after the resignation of Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert.
Syria then withdrew from the talks in protest against Israel's recent three-week military offensive in the Gaza Strip in which at least 1,330 Palestinians were killed and thousands of others were injured.
The offensive sparked outrage across the Arab world and worldwide protests against Israel.
Before May in 2008, the last time both countries initiated peace negotiations was in 2000, but both sides failed to reach agreement over the fate of the Golan Heights plateau and the nearby shore of the Sea of Galilee.
Al-Assad said he was concerned that if Syria signed a peace agreement with Israel, the Palestinian question would be put on hold.
"We believe that if Israel signs (a peace accord) with Syria, Israel will put away the Palestinian question."
Regarding the plight of Palestinian refugees in Syria, Assad said a comprehensive peace agreement was crucial for the Syrian people to accept any deal.
"There will perhaps be an embassy and formalities, but if you want peace then it has to be comprehensive. We give them the choice between comprehensive peace and a peace agreement which does not have any real value on the ground," he said.
"Our people will not accept that, especially since there are half a million Palestinians in our country whose position remains unresolved. It is impossible under these terms to have peace in the natural sense."
Following the 1967 Six-Day War, Israel captured the Syrian territory of the Golan Heights and annexed it to its territory in 1981. Syria and Israel have been technically at war ever since.
Last May Israel and Syria launched peace talks aimed at a comprehensive peace agreement, under the auspices of Turkey.
Negotiations reached a stalemate in September after the resignation of Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert.
Syria then withdrew from the talks in protest against Israel's recent three-week military offensive in the Gaza Strip in which at least 1,330 Palestinians were killed and thousands of others were injured.
The offensive sparked outrage across the Arab world and worldwide protests against Israel.
Before May in 2008, the last time both countries initiated peace negotiations was in 2000, but both sides failed to reach agreement over the fate of the Golan Heights plateau and the nearby shore of the Sea of Galilee.
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