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Israel says Turkish-mediated Syria talks not imminent
Israel has yet to make a decision on the matter, the official said, but he called the news reports a sign that Turkey was interested in improving its relations with Israel and advancing peace in the region.
“No decision has been made on resuming talks with Syria under Turkey mediation, but if these remarks represent Turkey’s desire to improve relations with Israel and contribute to the advancement of peace in the region, then it is obviously a welcome aspiration,” said the official.
Syria has said it is ready to restart peace talks with Israel mediated by Turkey, and there are some positive signals from the Israeli side, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said earlier on Tuesday during a visit to Riyadh.
Erdoğan said his government was assessing whether to resume its role. “Syria wants Turkey’s mediation. Israel sometimes gives positive signals on it. The situation will be evaluated,” Erdoğan was quoted as saying by the Anatolia news agency. “If we reach a positive conclusion, I hope we will start the process,” he added. An aide to Erdoğan told Reuters that no formal request for mediation had been received from the Israeli government.
Turkey mediated several rounds of indirect negotiations between the Middle East rivals in 2008, but little progress was made. Syria later suspended the talks in response to Israel’s military offensive in Gaza in December 2008 and January 2009.
Some Israeli politicians had aired reservations in recent months about Turkey’s suitability as relations soured after Erdoğan’s repeated criticism of the Israeli offensive in Gaza. The Israeli coalition appears divided over whether to resume peace talks with Turkey acting as mediator.
Ankara says it is willing to resume mediating indirect talks between Syria and Israel, if both parties clearly voice their will for such mediation.
Israeli-Palestinian talks
Meanwhile, Turkey welcomed an Israeli-Palestinian agreement, in meetings with US Middle East envoy George Mitchell this week, to resume peace talks. In a statement released on Wednesday, the Foreign Ministry said peace in the Middle East would be achieved if peace efforts are revived on all fronts, a reference, among others, to the Israeli-Syrian peace efforts. The Foreign Ministry also stated that Turkey would continue its “active contributions” to the peace efforts.
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