Barak: President al-Assad is an honest man

The Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak said that nothing will stop his search to build peace with Syria, noting that such a peace will strengthen Israel's might.

In an interview with the London based Jewish Chronicle published on Friday, Barak added we have to embark on all means for the sake of peace. He described President Hafez al-Assad as "a man who keeps his promise, sincere and honest."

The Israeli prime minister expressed his optimism over resuming negotiations with Damascus while he is in power, after these negotiations had been actually frozen under his predecessor Netanyahu, for three years. He added " I find no reason preventing the Syrians from negotiating with us."

He ruled out the idea that the Syrians will not find a formula to resume negotiations with him.