'Israel accepts Ankara as mediator' (Israel denies)

[Chris]

'Israel accepts Ankara as mediator'
By AP AND JPOST.COM STAFF
09/03/2010 05:51
PMO denies Erdogan claim that J'lem wants Turkey to broker Syria talks.

A source from the Prime Minister's Office on Tuesday afternoon denied a news report quoting the Turkish prime minister as saying Israel has accepted that Turkey will again mediate talks with Syria, and said that Jerusalem has not made any decision to resume peace talks with Damascus. Turkey's NTV television quoted Recep Tayyip Erdogan as telling reporters in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday that the stalled talks may resume soon. The PMO source added that if Erdogan's remarks reflect Turkey's interest to strengthen its ties with Israel and contribute to promoting peace in the region, then Ankara's aspirations were praise-worthy. Turkey mediated several rounds of indirect negotiations between the Mideast rivals in 2008, but little progress was made. NTV quoted Erdogan as saying the Syria-Israel talks can begin "any minute." Israel Radio cited the television station as saying that negotiations should start as soon as possible, in order to reinstate stability in the Middle East.

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Israel says Syria talks not imminent, but lauds Turkey offer to mediate - Haaretz - Israel News

Israel says Syria talks not imminent, but lauds Turkey offer to mediate
By The Associated Press

A senior official in the Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office on Tuesday denied Turkey's announcement that Israel had accepted its offer to resume its role as mediator in peace negotiations with Syria. Israel has yet to make a decision on the matter, the official said, but he called the report a sign that Turkey was interested in improving its relations with Israel and advancing peace in the region. "No decision has been made on resuming talks with Syria under Turkey mediation, but if these remarks represent Turkey's desire to improve relations with Israel and contribute to the advancement of peace in the region, then it is obviously a welcome aspiration," said the official.

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan was quoted by NTV television earlier Tuesday as saying that Israel has accepted Ankara's offer to mediate the talks. Erdogan told reporters in Saudi Arabia that the stalled talks may begin again at "any minute". Turkey mediated several rounds of indirect negotiations between the Middle East rivals in 2008, but little progress was made. Syria later suspended the talks in response to Israel's 2008 military offensive in Gaza, and Israeli officials said Turkey's scathing criticism of Israel's role in the conflict had disqualified it as a mediator.