Indirect peace talks betweenIsrael and
Syria are
making progress and both sides agreed to two more rounds under Turkish mediation next month, Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan said Tuesday.
Babacan, who was in Luxembourg for meetings with European Union officials, said the latest round of indirect talks on Sunday and Monday were complicated, but he expressed hope they could lead to a breakthrough. "The negotiations went very successfully and more importantly the calendar was set for the next two meetings, which will be held in July," Babacan told reporters.
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| Israel to propose Olmert-Assad talks, sources say / Reuters |
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Israeli officials holding new round of indirect peace talks with Syrian counterparts in Turkey will propose leaders meet at Paris conference next month. 'The idea isn't necessarily to hold an hours-long conversation, just a face-to-face encounter that would, in itself, serve to take things forward,' source says |
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He said both sides, "Were very satisfied" with the negotiations to date and that forging a lasting peace between the two sides was, "A very complicated matter," . In addition, the foreign minister added that the issues involved were, "Very sensitive" for Israelis and Syrians.
Babacan did not go into detail on what progress was made but said Turkey would continue to act as intermediary. "As long as we see hope for peace, we are determined to continue this process. Of course the will of both parties is also very important," he said.
Last month Israel, Turkey and Syria announced that
indirect negotiations have been taking place for a year, with Turkish diplomats shuttling between the two delegations.
Previous peace talks broke down in 2000 with disagreements over final borders and peace terms. Syria demands the return of the Golan Heights, a strategic plateau that Israel captured in the 1967 war.
In previous talks, Israel agreed in principle, but the two sides failed to come together on where the border should run. Israel also said that Syria was not offering full peace in return for such a pullback.
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