Region | Syria
Turkey steps up effort for Syria-Israel peace
Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan holds talks with Syrian President Bashar Al Assad to push mediation attempts.
- Reuters & AP
- Published: 00:45 April 27, 2008
- Image Credit: AP
- Syrian President Bashar Assad, right, shakes hands with the Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan at Ash-Shaeb presidential palace in Damascus, Syria.
Damascus: Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan met Syrian President Bashar Al Assad on Saturday to discuss Turkish attempts to help relaunch peace talks between Syria and Israel.
Turkey has been relaying messages between Syria and Israel for months, diplomats say.
"There was a request from Syria and Israel for this kind of an effort and Turkey will do its best in this regard," Erdogan said on his return from Syria.
"This effort will start among the lower level [officials] and if they are successful, God willing, they will end with a higher level meeting," the prime minister said.
Syrian officials say Erdogan called Bashar last week to tell him Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert had told Turkey that Israel was willing to give back all of Syria's Golan Heights in return for peace with Syria.
"The trust Turkey has makes it almost obligatory to take on a mediating role," Erdogan told reporters in Turkey before flying to the Syrian capital.
"The peace diplomacy we carry out will have a positive contribution ... whether in Iraq, between Syria and Israel or between Israel and Palestine."
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