Israel-Syria talks wrap up with deal to meet again

By Zerin Elci

ANKARA (Reuters) - Israel and Syria on Monday concluded a second round of indirect peace talks mediated by Turkey and agreed to continue the negotiations, though not face-to-face for now, officials said.

Israeli and Turkish officials, who described the two days of talks as positive and constructive, said Israel and Syria agreed on dates for holding a third and fourth round of negotiations, but offered few details.

A senior Israeli government official said the talks would take place in the "coming weeks" and would continue to be conducted through Turkish mediation, rather than direct.

"They have agreed to continue meeting on a permanent basis," the Israeli official said.

The Turkish Foreign Ministry said the meetings would be held "regularly".

Israeli officials said the possibility of a meeting between Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad was not part of the negotiations, which took place in Turkey on Sunday and Monday at an undisclosed location.

Israeli officials offered no other details about the first negotiations between the long-time foes in eight years.

There was no immediate comment from Syria.

SUMMIT

Earlier on Monday, Israeli political sources said Olmert's envoys, Yoram Turbowicz and Shalom Turjeman, intended to propose that Olmert and Assad meet at a Paris conference next month.

But Olmert's delegation was not optimistic about the chances of Assad agreeing to such a meeting at this stage. An Israeli political source said: "The assessment in Israel is that he (Assad) would first need something concrete in hand."

Olmert and Assad are expected to attend a July 13 summit of a new union of European and Mediterranean countries in Paris.

An Israeli source said French President Nicolas Sarkozy was trying to arrange a three-way meeting but had not yet received final confirmation from Damascus.

Olmert has offered to meet Assad on the event's sidelines, Israeli political sources said.

A diplomatic breakthrough could shore up Olmert at home, where he faces a corruption scandal that threatens to force him from office. An American witness in the case is due to be cross-questioned by Olmert's lawyers in open court on July 17.