Damascus Insists On Turkish-Israeli Role.

Damascus Insists On Turkish-Israeli Role. Yet Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Mu'allem on Oct 3 saidafter Latakia talks with visiting Turkish Foreign Minister AhmedDavutoglu that Damascus still counted on Ankara reviving its role aspeace mediator with Israel. (Ankara mediated several rounds of indirectnegotiations between Israel and Syria in 2008 but the these made nosignificant head-way and were suspended after the Israeli 22-daymilitary offensive on the Hamas-ruled in Gaza Strip which ended on Jan.18, 2009). Mu'allem, who had met with Mrs Clinton in New York theweek before, said any new indirect negotiations with Israel should bemediated by Turkey and must resume where they left off. He added:"The Turkish role has proved to be an honest one, and it is onlynatural that we would want it to continue. This is why indirect talksshould take place through a Turkish mediator". He said any otherefforts would complement, but ultimately be subordinate, to the Turkishrole.