Turkish PM flies to Syria amid new peace feelers
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan flew to Damascus on Saturday for talks on bilateral ties and his government's efforts to facilitate peace negotiations between Syria and Israel.
By Agencies |
ANKARA: Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan flew to Damascus on Saturday for talks on bilateral ties and his government's efforts to facilitate peace negotiations between Syria and Israel.
The one-day visit comes after Syrian President Bashar al-Assad revealed earlier this week that Turkey has been mediating between Syria and Israel since last year and had recently passed a message from the Jewish State expressing a readiness to swap the Golan Heights for peace.
Before his departure to Syria, Erdogan said improving ties with regional countries has allowed Ankara to step up efforts to facilitate peace in the Middle East.
"The atmosphere of trust makes it necessary for Turkey to act as a mediator," Erdogan told a press conference at Ankara's Esenboga airport.
"God willing, our proactive peace diplomacy will contribute to expected developments between Syria and Israel," he added.
Erdogan will hold talks with Assad and Prime Minister Naji Otri and address an economic forum before returning home.
In remarks published Thursday in the Qatari daily Al-Watan, Assad said that Erdogan "informed me of Israel's readiness to withdraw from the Golan in return for peace with Syria" and said the message had been relayed a week ago.
"What we now need is to find common ground through the Turkish mediator," he said, adding that any negotiations with Israel would be conducted via Ankara.
Israel captured the Golan from Syria in the 1967 Middle East war and annexed it in 1981 in a move never recognised by the international community.
As its price for peace, Syria has consistently demanded the return of the whole of the Golan right down to the shores of the Sea of Galilee -- Israel's main water source.
Israel balked at the demand in the most recent peace talks, which broke off in 2000.
A poll published in Israel's daily Yediot Aharonot Friday found that more than two-thirds of Israelis oppose a complete withdrawal from the Golan Heights.
Israel allegedly destroyed a secret nuclear reactor last September built by Syria with the help of North Korea, US intelligence officials said this week.
The one-day visit comes after Syrian President Bashar al-Assad revealed earlier this week that Turkey has been mediating between Syria and Israel since last year and had recently passed a message from the Jewish State expressing a readiness to swap the Golan Heights for peace.
Before his departure to Syria, Erdogan said improving ties with regional countries has allowed Ankara to step up efforts to facilitate peace in the Middle East.
"The atmosphere of trust makes it necessary for Turkey to act as a mediator," Erdogan told a press conference at Ankara's Esenboga airport.
"God willing, our proactive peace diplomacy will contribute to expected developments between Syria and Israel," he added.
Erdogan will hold talks with Assad and Prime Minister Naji Otri and address an economic forum before returning home.
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In remarks published Thursday in the Qatari daily Al-Watan, Assad said that Erdogan "informed me of Israel's readiness to withdraw from the Golan in return for peace with Syria" and said the message had been relayed a week ago.
"What we now need is to find common ground through the Turkish mediator," he said, adding that any negotiations with Israel would be conducted via Ankara.
Israel captured the Golan from Syria in the 1967 Middle East war and annexed it in 1981 in a move never recognised by the international community.
As its price for peace, Syria has consistently demanded the return of the whole of the Golan right down to the shores of the Sea of Galilee -- Israel's main water source.
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Israel balked at the demand in the most recent peace talks, which broke off in 2000.
A poll published in Israel's daily Yediot Aharonot Friday found that more than two-thirds of Israelis oppose a complete withdrawal from the Golan Heights.
ADVERTISEMENT
Israel allegedly destroyed a secret nuclear reactor last September built by Syria with the help of North Korea, US intelligence officials said this week.
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