Hurriyet daily news (Turquie) : "US begins flurry of diplomacy in Mideast"

US begins flurry of diplomacy in Mideast

Sunday, July 26, 2009

DAMASCUS - Daily News with wires

Washington steps up its diplomatic efforts in the Middle East with a series of high-level meetings in the region. In Syria, US Middle East envoy says he holds 'candid and positive' talks with President Bashar al-Assad, adding that America's near-term goal is the resumption Turkish-mediated talks

The U.S. administration is determined to achieve a “truly comprehensive” Arab-Israeli peace settlement, President Barack Obama’s special Mideast envoy said Sunday as Washington began a flurry of diplomatic activity in the region.

U.S. Envoy to the Middle East George Mitchell said he had "candid and positive" talks with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in Damascus and added: “I discussed with President Assad the prospects for moving forward on our goals of comprehensive peace in the region and improved bilateral ties between Syria and the United States.”

On Syria’s stalled, Turkish-mediated peace talks with Israel, Mitchell said: “Our near-term goal is the resumption of negotiations. Comprehensive peace is the only way to guarantee stability, security, and prosperity for all of the states in the region.”

Mitchell said, however, that comprehensive peace requires cooperation from both Israel and Arab countries. “If we are to succeed, we will need Arabs and Israelis alike to work with us to bring about comprehensive peace,” he said.

Mitchell’s visit came days after Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan paid a key visit to Syria and said his country was ready to resume mediating peace talks between Israel and Syria.

Flurry of diplomacy

Mitchell was due to head on to Israel later Sunday, as the Hürriyet Daily News & Economic Review went to press. U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates was also.............................
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