Syria's Bashar urges greater Russian role in peace talks

Bashar Assad

DAMASCUS, Syria (Reuters) -- Syrian President Bashar al-Assad urged Moscow during talks with a Russia minister on Saturday to play a greater role in getting stalled Syrian-Israeli peace talks moving.

Presidential spokesman Joubran Kourieh told Reuters that Bashar and Russian Industry Minister Alexander Dondukov discussed the Arab-Israeli peace talks "which are stalled because of Israel's failure to implement United Nations resolutions."

The sporadic Syrian-Israeli peace talks, co-sponsored by the United States and Russia, broke off in early January without making headway on the fate of the Golan Heights, captured by Israel from Syria in the 1967 war.

The late Syrian President Hafez al-Assad had rejected an Israeli offer -- conveyed to him by U.S. President Bill Clinton during a meeting in Geneva in March -- for a partial withdrawal through which Israel maintained control of the northeastern shore of Lake Tiberias (Sea of Galilee). He insisted on a full pullback from the strategic plateau.

Bashar Assad, 34, who took office in July after the June death of his father, had expressed readiness to resume peace talks with Israel at any time but affirmed commitment to Syria's Golan demand.

"President Bashar welcomed any Russia effort that would help make progress towards the achievement of a just and comprehensive peace in the Middle East," Kourieh said.

Kourieh said the talks between the Syrian leader and the Russian minister also looked at ways to promote economic and commercial cooperation between the two countries "who enjoyed over 50 years of special good ties."

The Soviet Union was Syria's strategic ally and main arms supplier for decades before it broke up into independent states in 1991.

"President Bashar expressed Syria's readiness to promote cooperation, adding that the Russian minister's visit to Damascus constituted a good chance to make progress in this respect," Kourieh said.

Dondukov, visiting Syria to head his country's side to the joint Syrian-Russian Economic Cooperation Committee, told reporters he would sign a deal to avoid double taxation.

"This deal will pave the way for the flow of investment and promotion of economic cooperation between the two countries," the Russian minister said.

Copyright 2000 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For more Middle East news, myCNN.com will bring you news from the areas and subjects you select.

See related sites about Middle East

Note: Pages will open in a new browser window

External sites are not endorsed by CNN Interactive.