US focus now on Syrian role

Dubai: The United States is asking for Syria's help in getting Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations on track.

US Middle East peace envoy George Mitchell told Syrian President Bashar Al Assad on Sunday in Damascus that opening up Syrian-Israeli talks was a "near term goal" for Washington.

"I told President Al Assad that President Obama is determined to facilitate a truly comprehensive Arab-Israeli peace," the Middle East envoy said.

Mitchell, who is on a regional tour that includes Israel, described his discussion with Al Assad as "very candid and positive" but he did not say what the US expected from Syria, especially on Hamas.

Mitchell's meeting with Al Assad is his second and signals recognition by the Obama administration that Syria's role is vital for any comprehensive peace agreement with Israel.

Syria's support for Hamas has contributed to deteriorating ties between Damascus and Washington in the last several years. While sanctions are still in place, the US has decided to return its ambassador to Syria.

Washington withdrew its envoy in 2005 to protest against the assassination in Beirut of Rafik Hariri, a Lebanese parliamentarian and former prime minister.

Meanwhile, US Defence Secretary Robert Gates is in Israel today assuring its ally that the US will not let up pressure on Iran to forgo a nuclear weapon.

The US is also eager for Israel to formalise plans to start buying as many as 100 Lockheed Martin Corp radar-evading F-35 Joint Strike Fighters in a potential $15 billion (Dh55.05 billion) deal, with deliveries starting in 2014.

The visit comes as growing tensions are emerging between Washington and Tel Aviv over what to do about Iran's ongoing nuclear enrichment programme and Israel's refusal to halt its controversial colony activity in the West Bank and Occupied Jerusalem.

Israel's prime minister said yesterday he will try to work out his country's policy disagreements with the US in meetings this week with high-profile American envoys.

Prime Minister Netanyahu will also meet this week with National Security Adviser James Jones and top Iran and Mideast specialist Dennis Ross, as the US intensifies diplomatic pressure on Israel to cooperate.