Turkish FM tells US Syria willing to resume talks with Israel - report

Hurriyet Daily News with wires

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Davutoglu told U.S. officials that Damascus wants to pick up dialogue from where the sides left off, Israeli media reported, citing Israel Radio.       

He conveyed the message that Syria has asked the United States to inform Israel it is interested in renewing indirect peace negotiations through Turkish mediation, the reports said.

Davutoglu reportedly said Ankara was willing to continue to mediate between the two sides and that Syria was waiting for Israel's response. 

Syria has been sending messages to Israel through Turkish intermediaries calling for a resumption of the contacts, sources on both sides told AFP.

"President Bashar al-Assad told his Turkish counterpart Abdullah Gul once again when he visited Syria (last month) of Damascus’s firm and continuing support for Ankara’s mediation efforts and its confidence in their impartiality," said Syria’s ambassador to Turkey, Nidal Kabalan.

Assad also told Gul he had sent a similar message to European envoys, Kabalan said, adding: "It is now up to them (the Israelis)."

Syria held Turkey-mediated indirect talks with Israel last year; however, they collapsed over Israel's offensive on Gaza in late December.

Syria is seeking a complete Israeli withdrawal from the Golan Heights, a strategic plateau captured from Syria in the 1967 war.