Posted on 05/21/2008 6:22:15 AM PDT by jhpigott
Prime Minister Olmert's aides meeting with senior Syrian officials in Ankara since Monday. Dramatic statement issued by three countries says 'Israel and Syria have launched peace negotiations mediated by Turkey in a bid to reach a comprehensive deal according to framework set at Madrid Conference.' Syrian foreign minister says Israel agreed to cede Golan; officials at PM's Office say do not recall such a commitment
Roni Sofer Latest Update: 05.21.08, 14:07 / Israel News
The Prime Minister's Office announced Wednesday that Israel and Syria have launched direct negotiations in Turkey.
Ynet has learned that Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's associates, Yoram Turbowitz and Shalom Turgeman, have been meeting with senior Syrian officials in Ankara since Monday.
A dramatic statement issued simultaneously in Jerusalem, Damascus and Ankara said that "Israel and Syria have launched peace talks mediated by Turkey.
"The two sides have declared their intention to hold the negotiations in good faith and openly, and hold a serious and continuous dialogue in order to reach a comprehensive peace deal in accordance with the framework set at the (1991) Madrid Conference."
Following the announcement, Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Moallem said that Israel had agreed to fully concede the Golan Heights.
Sources at the Prime Minister's Office told Ynet in response, "The negotiations are being held on the basis of the Madrid Conference principles. We do not recall an Israeli commitment at the conference to fully cede the Golan Heights."
Shortly before the announcement was released, the prime minister briefed Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, Defense Minister Ehud Barak, the Mossad and Shin Bet chief and the coalition leaders on the talks.
The Prime Minister's Office is currently waiting for the return of Turbowitz and Turgeman from Ankara in order "to learn of the achievements in the attempt to launch a communication channel with the Syrians mediated by Turkey."
High tensions on border
The indirect talks between Israel and Syria began in February 2007, when Olmert visited Ankara. In a face-to-face meeting with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan, it was agreed that Turkey would mediate between the two countries in a bid to reach a peace agreement.
The prime minister entrusted his chief of staff Turbowitz and his diplomatic advisor Turgeman with the handling of the Turkish channel. The two recently travelled to Turkey several times and held direct talks with the authorities. Three weeks ago, a date was set for a meeting between representatives from both sides in Ankara.
As part of the preparations for the meeting, Olmert's aides collected all the material accumulated in the previous rounds of talks. The material was analyzed along with officials who were involved in the previous negotiations. In the past few days it eas decided to "hit the road" and release a joint official declaration.
According to a recent Turkish report, Israel agreed to withdraw from the Golan Heights in exchange for a peace agreement with Syria. Olmert, who was on vacation in the Golan at the time, did not deny the report, creating a political turmoil.
Since the end of the Second Lebanon War, tensions at the border between the two countries have been high, sparking fears of war.
Meanwhile Wednesday, media outlets in Syria reported that a Syrian citizen from the village of Ghajar had been released from an Israeli jail. The man, Mohammed Abed Al-Shmali, was arrested in December 2003 on suspicion of delivering information to Hizbullah in exchange for an approval to sell drugs on the border. There are 13 more Syrian citizens jailed in Israel.
I assume the intent is to isolate Iran.
ping
What a f------- idiot olmert is. Maybe the Syrians will build some nice showers for him and the Jews who don't escape in time.
The only reason Syria is negotiating is to keep their options open with Iraq stabilizing.
Obama gets in, we leave Iraq then Iran will soon dominate the entire region from Afghanistan to Lebanon with contigous supply lines.
Absolutely! The new Iraqi army's recent performances being foremost in their minds.
The biggest problem the rogue regimes in the ME now have is not the Great Satan in their midst, but a functioning, (oil-rich) capitalist powerhouse, not populated by Jews. Iraq will affect the tyrants the same way kryptonite slowly but surely weakens Superman.
at least from the Israeli side - i rather doubt the sincerety of these talks. Olmert is a snake in the grass with ALOT of problems right now and this may be his way of deflecting some of his domestic problems.
He is in the middle of an investigation on a 5th corruption charge against him and this time it appears there is a strong case against him. Also, he is taking alot of criticism in how he is handling the Gaza/Hamas situation. The big story in Israel the past few days has been whether Israel and Hamas were going to reach a cease fire or whether the IDF was going to launch a major offensive against Hamas if the cease fire talks fell through. Now that story is off the front page and Olmert can go back to ignoring the situation.
Ping!
And I assume the effect will be to put terrorist with rockets who are controlled by Iran in the Golan heights.
at least from the Israeli side - i rather doubt the sincerety of these talks.Having Olmert negotiating this isn't unlike having Abbas (or any other Pali gangleader) negotiate for the Arabs. The talks will fail anyway, because Syria only wants one thing out of them, the Golan Hts, and won't give up anything in return. Since Syria (and Turkish media) claims that the Golan Hts have already been given up, which clearly isn't going to come to pass, the negotiations are intended to make it look good for the allies and alleged allies of Israel, and will do that job until they end (which they will, as all have done in the past).
Well put.
I think that’s also part of it. To get the Syrians onboard with the whole “regime change in Iran” and “no nukes in Iran” thing, and therefore to get them to actively oppose the Hizzies, they’d have to A) get the Golan Hts back and B) have a word that’s worth a damn. Neither is going to happen, but while the negotiations go on, the Iranians are sitting ducks.
Thanks C from E, for both links. From the above:
“Sources at the Prime Minister’s Office told Ynet in response, ‘The negotiations are being held on the basis of the Madrid Conference principles. We do not recall an Israeli commitment at the conference to fully cede the Golan Heights.’”
Syrian FM: Israel committed to a full withdrawal from Golan—
Syria, Israel start indirect talks
Jerusalem Post/IMRA | 5-21-08
Posted on 05/21/2008 5:42:38 AM PDT by SJackson
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2019078/posts
According to a recent Turkish report, Israel agreed to withdraw from the Golan Heights in exchange for a peace agreement with Syria. Olmert, who was on vacation in the Golan at the time, did not deny the report, creating a political turmoil.
~~~
Some folks never learn!...
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.