Syrian delegation arrives for Annapolis conference

(Adds quote from diplomat, paragraph 2, background)

ANNAPOLIS, Md., Nov 26 (Reuters) - A Syrian delegation arrived in the United States on Monday to attend the Middle East peace conference and pursue Syria's quest to regain the occupied Golan Heights, a Syrian diplomat said.

"We participate with the understanding that the Golan will be discussed. Syria continue to be committed to the Arab peace initiative as the only way to achieve a just and comprehensive peace in the Middle East," Ahmad Salkini told Reuters.

Deputy Foreign Minister Fayssal al-Mekdad, an influential player in Syrian foreign policy, will lead a three-man Syrian team. Syria's ambassador in Washington Imad Moustapha and an aide will also participate.

The conference, which aims to restart talks on Palestinian statehood, opens in Annapolis, Maryland, on Tuesday. The agenda includes a session about reviving Syrian-Israeli peace talks, which collapsed in 2000 over the Golan Heights, a plateau near Damascus occupied by Israel since 1967.

The Arab peace proposal centers on normal ties with Israel in return for an Israeli withdrawal from all the Arab territory occupied four decades ago, including the Golan.

The Damascus government had repeatedly said it would only attend the U.S.-hosted conference if the Golan Heights were on the agenda. (Reporting by Khaled Yacoub Oweis; Editing by Jackie Frank.)