VIDEO - "The years that have passed since negotiations with Syria froze over have not boded well with the security situation on our northern border, which continues to be our greatest concern," Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said on Wednesday evening in his first public comments regarding the resumption of peace talks with Syria.
Speaking at an event at the Kibbutz College of Education, Olmert said he had no illusions regarding the talks with Damascus.
"The negotiations will not be easy or simple and the process will involve difficult concessions," he said, adding however that "in situations like this it is always better to talk than to shoot and I am happy both sides here have decided to talk."
Olmert said this morning's announcement, issues simultaneously by Jerusalem, Damascus and Ankara, "is the culmination of a process that began more than a year ago, during which we sought to establish a track that would allow for peace talks with Syria. After many long months, such talks were announced this morning.
"The renewal of talks frozen for eight years is a stirring event, but it is a national duty that must be realized. This is the same conclusion reached by three of my predecessors: the late Yitzhak Rabin, Benjamin Netanyahu and Ehud Barak – who were all ready to make far-reaching concessions."
Meanwhile, State officials in Jerusalem confirmed on Wednesday indirect negotiations between Israel and Syria will commence within two weeks time under Turkish mediation,
The officials rejected the claims made by Syrian Foreign Affairs Minister Walid al-Mouallem, according to which Israel has expressed its willingness to cede the Golan Heights.
"The formal announcement that was issued today by Damascus, Ankara and Jerusalem, does not mention the Golan and this is not without reason. Both sides worked on this announcement for many long
weeks, nothing about it is unintentional, including the omission of the Golan," they said.
Al-Mouallem said direct peace negotiations would be possible if Israel showed seriousness in the mediated talks held in Turkey.
"We hope the Israeli side would be serious about them (indirect talks) so that both sides would be able to hold direct negotiations," Mouallem said.