SYRIA SEES ITSELF AS A LOCAL PEACEMAKER

Hurriyet
June 19 2009
Turkey

YEREVAN – Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad welcomed the normalization
talks between Turkey and Armenia and offered to mediate more
discussions between the two neighbors.

During an official visit to the Armenian capital Yerevan on Wednesday,
al-Assad met with his Armenian counterpart, Serge Sarkisian, and said,
"We in Syria have received with great satisfaction the steps that
are aimed at normalizing Turkish-Armenian relations." "I told the
president of Armenia that we are ready to help move forward those
relations," Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty quoted the Syrian leader
as saying. He also argued that Syria is in a position to do so because
of its "close relationships" with both Armenia and Turkey.

Sarkisian did not comment on al-Assad’s offer during their
joint news conference. Instead, he praised the current state of
Syrian-Armenian ties and stressed the need to boost bilateral economic
cooperation. "Our friendship is a good example that must be showcased
to both our peoples and others."

Ankara and Yerevan agreed in April on a "road map" deal for U.S.-backed
talks that could lead to the normalizing of ties and the opening of
their border, which Turkey closed in a show of support to Azerbaijan
in 1993 after the Armenian occupation of Azerbaijani territories in
the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region. Turkish officials, however,
have said Turkey will not open its border with Armenia before
the neighboring country ends its occupation of Nagorno-Karabakh,
reassuring Azerbaijani leaders that Ankara’s efforts to reconcile
with Yerevan would not undermine the country’s interests.

Syria held Turkey-mediated indirect talks with Israel last year,
however, they collapsed over Israel’s offensive on Gaza in late
December. Damascus, which is seeking a complete Israeli withdrawal
from the Golan Heights, Syria wants to resume stalled indirect peace
talks with Jewish state, according to Turkish officials.