Syria rejects conditional dialogue with Israel

Syria has rejected statements made by the Israeli prime minister in which he expressed his readiness to meet with the Syrian President Bashar al-Assad but under certain conditions, considering that this is not in line with the Syrian proposal to resume peace negotiations.

Replying to statements made by the Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon, the Syrian foreign minister Farouk al-Shara said upon receiving his Jordanian peer Hani al-Malaqi that setting conditions by Sharon to resume conditions with Damascus is unacceptable.

Al-Shara stressed that he had no knowledge that there is a mediation. But he explained that Syria tries to enhance the peace climate.

The Israeli prime minister did not explain in his statements conditions needed for the resumption of resulting the negotiations but he said he does not see at the meantime one genuine indicator that Damascus wants peace.

Sharon's statements came in reaction to was stated by the UN coordinator to the Middle East Terry Rod Larsen to that al-Assad is ready to join negotiations with Tel Aviv unconditionally.