Fifth round of indirect talks between Damascus and Jerusalem set for September 18
Beirut (AsiaNews) - Formally delayed on account of the resignation of the Israeli negotiator, Yoram Turbowicz, the fifth round of indirect negotiations between Israel and Syria will take place in Turkey on September 18 and 19, and, for Syrian president Assad, they will be "decisive". The announcement seems to be the most significant result of the "summit" that united in the Syrian capital French president Nicolas Sarkozy, Turkish prime minister Recep Tayyp Erdogan, and the emir of Qatar, Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani.
Nothing truly decisive has emerged from the meeting, but there are some points worth highlighting. The first, from the Syrian point of view, is the breaking of the international isolation brought upon the country by its policies of alignment with Iran, forceful intervention in Lebanon, and support for the Hezbollah and Hamas "hardliners". Without even mentioning the shadows cast on the dictatorial regime of Bashar al Assad by the assassination of former Lebanese prime Minister Rafik Hariri, and suspicions connected to the nuclear aims of the "military structure" in al Kibar, bombed last year by the Israelis.
Assad has said that he is waiting for a response from Israel to the "six points" that he sent, through Turkish mediation, as conditions for direct peace talks. He has said that he is willing to proceed if Jerusalem responds positively. At the same time, he restated his fidelity to his alliances with Iran, Hezbollah, and Hamas, although not in especially decisive terms. This latter is a question more delicate than ever, since the Israelis are asking for at least some distancing from these relationships in order to arrive at peace. At least officially, this request has been linked in the first place to Syria's request for the restitution of the Golan Heights, conquered by the Israelis in 1967. In this regard, according to a French diplomat cited by Al Hayat, the next "indirect" meeting will likely be dedicated to the matter of borders. Assad wants the complete restitution of the Heights, on the basis of the line of demarcation before the war in 1967, while Israel wants to restore the international border existing in 1923. And it must be remembered that it is precisely the lack of agreement over the borders that led to the failure of the direct talks in 2000, sponsored by the United States. From Israel, the office of prime minister Olmert has declined to make any comment. Sources cited by Haaretz have nonetheless confirmed that Turkey has been given the go-ahead to organize the next meeting.
The crucial question of peace between Syria and Israel, according to some analysts, is part of a plan finalized during the summit, in anticipation of the replacement of Israeli prime minister Olmert and the result of the American elections, since the Bush administration is a proponent of isolating Damascus. Assad has explicitly referred to the need for the Americans to take part in future direct talks, and he seems to be willing to change his stance, in part in order to assure his own political survival, but with the economic and military support of the United States.
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