Syria Seeks to Make Peace with Israel Soon: Vice PresidentSyrian Vice President Mohammed Zouhair Musharaqah said on Saturday that Syria seeks to achieve peace with Israel as soon as possible, but it will not cede its territory.Addressing the opening session of the second conference of the Arab Ministers of Education, Musharaqah said "The Arab nation is facing diverse challenges which require common cooperation, solidarity and joint actions so as to overcome hurdles and barriers." He described the liberation of the Arab territories occupied by Israel in the 1967 Middle East war as the biggest challenge facing with the Arab countries. "Peace is a strategic goal for Syria and the Arab nation as a whole. Syria seeks a just and comprehensive peace based on international legitimate resolutions," said Musharaqah at the conference, sponsored by the Arab Organization for Education, Culture and Science. He renewed the call for Israel to pull out from the Golan Heights, a strategic plateau Israel captured from Syria in the 1967 Middle East war, and other occupied territories, so as to realize security and stability in the region. He also accused Israel of shrugging off its commitments to a just and comprehensive peace in the region and the implementation of international legitimate resolutions. "Unfair and unjust peace will never lead to security and stability. Syria is not ready to pay for the failure of the Israeli government to take decisions to push peace forward," he stressed. The Israeli-Syrian negotiations, which were resumed last December after an almost four-year hiatus, were suspended indefinitely last January. Differences between the two parties were centered on the control over the northeastern shore of Lake Tiberias, Israel's main source of water. |
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