Prime Minister Ehud Olmert
צילום: גיל יוחנן
Olmert says negotiations with Syria possible
In interview with Time Magazine, Israeli Prime Minister says renewal of negotiations with Syria possible, praises Saudi peace initiative
Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said he would consider the possibility of renewed negotiations with Syria, according to an interview he gave to Time Magazine on Thursday, which was published Sunday.
“I don't rule out negotiations with Syria. It just needs to be done in a manner that will guarantee that we can move forward rather than get stuck almost in the beginning,” Olmert said.
When asked about why he had refrained from accepting Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s recent overtures for negotiations, Olmert said patience was needed in order for negotiations to succeed.
Commenting on the recent low-level contacts between Israel and Syria, Olmert said, “I wasn't part of these low-level contacts, they weren't serious, and weren't considered so by the Syrians. It wasn't a measure for anything.”
Olmert also spoke of the Saudi peace initiative during his interview with Time Magazine, and said it presented an “interesting approach” to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
“It's not a political document, not well-defined to the last dot. It's an approach, an attitude, a state of mind, and I like this state of mind. I guess there all kinds of details that I would easily accept and some that I may not. But the strategy is different, and it's interesting,” Olmert said.
“I can tell you that if I'd had an opportunity to meet with King Abdullah of the Saudis - which I have not - he would be very surprised to hear what I have to say. I look very favorably at the active role Saudis are now playing in the Middle East for many years,” the prime minister said.
“I'm not in the most comfortable position, but I think my government is very stable, perhaps more stable than any government in modern Israeli history,” Olmert said, “But the political atmosphere is uncomfortable, no question about it, and I'd be the last person to ignore this.”
