WORLD BRIEFING / SYRIA
Syrian President Bashar Assad said he was interested in resuming indirect peace talks with Israel but didn’t believe the new government would be a good negotiating partner.
Syria has said it is willing to resume the talks as long as they focus on a complete Israeli withdrawal from the Golan Heights. But Israel’s new prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has said he would not be willing to return the territory.
“Syria is keen about peace as much as it is keen about the return of its occupied territories,” Assad said during a joint appearance with Turkish President Abdullah Gul.
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