| July 2008 - News |
| July 2008 |
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Turkish FM: Syria-Israel talks successful Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan said the second round of indirect peace talks between Syria and Israel which came to an end in Istanbul on June 16 were successful and a further two sessions have been planned for this month. “The negotiations went very successfully and more importantly the calendar was set for the next two meetings which will be held in July,” Babacan said. He went on to say that both sides “were very satisfied” with the negotiations and that forging a lasting peace between the two sides was “a very complicated matter”. Syria and Israel have not held direct peace talks since January 2000, when negotiations collapsed because of Israel’s refusal to withdraw fully from the Golan Heights which it captured from Syria in 1967. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad expressed hope that the new push for peace would result in success during his state visit to India on June 17. “The entire talks between Syria and Israel and the recent Doha Agreement, which has provided tangible steps towards national reconciliation in Lebanon, gives us reason to be optimistic about the future of our region,” Assad said. “Only peace and stability will ensure sustainable development and long-term prosperity for our region and the world.” |