Israel’s Lieberman: Willing to talk peace with Syria, but without preconditions

Israel: No preconditions to talks with Syria

JERUSALEM — Israel’s foreign minister said Sunday that he was willing to sit down immediately with Syria to talk peace if there would be no preconditions, just days after saying that Damascus was not a partner for peace.

Syria recently said it would be willing to resume indirect peace talks with the new Israeli government as long as they focused on a complete withdrawal from the Golan Heights.

Israel captured the strategic plateau from Syria in the June 1967 Mideast war.

“I’d be glad to negotiate with Syria this evening, but without preconditions,” Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman told Israel Radio.

“They say, first go back to ‘67 lines and give up the Golan. If we agree to that, what is there to negotiate?” he said.

In an interview with the Austrian newspaper Kleine Zeitung published this weekend, Lieberman said he “cannot see Syria as a genuine partner to any sort of agreement” because of its links with Iran and support for anti-Israel militant groups.

Israel’s new prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, is still formulating his government’s foreign policy. But he and Lieberman both have said they would not be willing to cede the territory Syria wants.

Syria’s Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem refused to comment on Lieberman’s remarks.

“I do not comment on the remarks of one person in Israel, I comment on a stance the Israeli government has pledged to make toward the peace process,” he said. “They (the Israelis) know exactly what the requirements for peace are.”

Al-Moallem spoke at a joint press conference in Damascus with his Chinese counterpart Yang Jiechi.

Israel has held several rounds of talks with the Syrians, most recently indirect negotiations mediated by Turkey last year.

Talks in 2000 broke down over the extent of an Israeli withdrawal, with Israel insisting on keeping disputed land around the Sea of Galilee, its main water source.

In talks last year, Israel also wanted Syria to end its support for Lebanese and Palestinian militants opposed to Israel’s existence.