Assad: Peace talks boost Obama's image

Syrian President Bashar Assad said Saturday that peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians are aimed at bolstering Obama's political image.

"There is no goal but to gain support for Obama within America," he told Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, adding that "there has been no change in the peace process in Palestine."

Assad spoke on a visit to Tehran, where Ahmadinejad awarded him with special honors for his support for "regional resistance organizations", including Hamas and Hezbollah.

After their meeting Ahmadinejad's office released a statement saying he had called for the strengthening of "resistance" in the Middle East. "The resistance front will not only bring other states in to join it, but also prepare the ground for peace and stability in the region," he said.

The two leaders also discussed cooperation between their two states. "The current situation in the region is changing for the good of the interest of the peoples of the region," Ahmadinejad said.

"The close and ongoing consultation and cooperation between the two states help the resistance, peace, and security in the region."

During his visit, which will last only one day, Assad is also scheduled to meet with Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, according to the Fars news agency.

'We will consult Turkish brothers'

Meanwhile Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Makdad said a regional peace process would eventually solve the crisis between his country and the US over support for Hezbollah.

In an interview with the Lebanese a-Safir published Saturday, Makdad also mentioned the meeting between the Syrian foreign minister and US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, in which the former said his country was "very interested" in peace talks with Israel.

"We said we would follow American efforts, but consult with our Turkish brothers in everything concerning the peace process," Makdad said.

He explained that Syria would only agree to peace talks with Turkish mediation, and that substituting US mediation would not be acceptable. "I can say there is almost global consensus on the Turkish mediation, and the only opposition to this comes from Israel," he said.

According to recent reports, Assad has suggested that Ahmadinejad postpone a trip to Lebanon as "this is not the right time." Kuwaiti newspaper al-Anbaa on Wednesday quoted diplomatic sources as saying that Ahmadinejad's scheduled visit to Lebanon in about two weeks was raised during his latest meeting with Assad in Damascus.

Roi Kais contributed to this report

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