Assad says peace talks should not focus on institutions (Jerusalem Post)

 
Photo: Associated press by BLOOMBERG NEWS
12/09/2010 19 H 35, Syrian President Bashar Assad Thursday said that between Israel and Palestinian peace talks should not focus on the issue of settlements, echoing the position of the United States adding Israel was not a partner for peace "."

Assad, who met with French President Nicolas Sarkozy to discuss stalled the process of peace in the Middle East along Iraq and Lebanon, made his comments journalists in Paris.

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"We are against putting colonies at the peace talks" Assad said. "If we want to talk about peace, we speak of legal rights, on the land restitution and doesn't talk about colonies".

The direct talks between the Palestinians and Israel collapsed on the refusal of Israel freezing the construction of the colony, which Palestinian say must be frozen before may resume negotiations. Philip j. Crowley, the u.s. Department of State spokesman said Thursday that the United States had recognized that persuade Israel to stop Jewish settlements on the disputed West Bank territory had become "an end in itself rather than a means to end."

Sarkozy and Assad discussed tensions in the Lebanon which grew in a probe of the United Nations on the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri, in the middle of the possibility that members of the group Hezbollah Muslim Shia the Lebanon can be put in charge, 2005. The movement, supported by the Syria is a partner in the Government of national unity of the Prime Minister Saad Hariri.

"Nobody wants to a confrontation between the Lebanese people," said Assad. "Nobody wants to troubled civilians."

Assad said that he "didn't intrusion with the Lebanon national issues" and refused to make any other comments.

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