GERMANY: Germany asks Syria for its cooperation in solving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict

Record ID: 276254

  • Title: GERMANY: Germany asks Syria for its cooperation in solving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict
  • Date: 18th January 2008
  • Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (English) WALID AL-MOUALEM, SYRIAN FOREIGN MINISTER SAYING: "diplomatic solution for this fight is needed. Second, we need to encourage (International atomic Energy Agency) Chairman (Mohamed) Baradei and the Iranian leadership to cooperate fully between themselves. This is my answer." CAMERAMAN FILMING (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) WALID AL-MOUALEM, SYRIAN FOREIGN MINI
  • Embargoed: 2nd February 2008 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Germany
  • Country: Germany
  • Reuters ID: LVA1JOFUXC44GTJCW1SBY2R3KWNI
  • Story Text: Germany asks Syria for its cooperation in solving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict by making use "of the influence Syria possibly has on the foreign leadership of Hamas."
    German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier has asked his Syrian counterpart during a meeting in Berlin on Thursday (January 17) to "make use of the influence Syria possibly has on the foreign leadership of Hamas to exclude any interfering elements which would make the peace process difficult between Israel and Palestine."
    Steinmeier was speaking after meeting with Walid al-Moualem at Berlin's foreign ministry.
    The German foreign minister said his demand was "among the expectations the international community has towards Syria," adding "this is nothing new to you."
    The meeting between Steinmeier and Moualem coincided with reports that Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert vowed to wage a "war" to stop Gaza militants firing rockets into Israel, despite warnings by Palestinian leaders that Israeli military strikes would harm peacemaking.
    In the latest bloodshed in a surge of violence that began after U.S.
    President George W. Bush ended a visit last week to spur talks on Palestinian statehood, an Israeli air strike on a car in the Gaza Strip killed a militant and his wife.
    Militants in the Hamas-controlled territory have fired some 70 rockets at southern Israel in the past two days.
    Asked by a German reporter when Syria will take up diplomatic relations with Lebanon, Moulaem said "I promise you" that when a president and a government of national unity is elected, this step will be taken.
    An Arab plan calls for the election of Lebanese army chief General Michel Suleiman president, the formation of a national unity government and the drafting of a new law for a parliamentary election due next year.
    Suleiman has been accepted by both sides as the candidate to fill the presidency, but his confirmation by a vote in parliament has been held up by a dispute over the shape of the new government to be formed after he takes office.
    Moualem added "then we will take up diplomatic relations."
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