Olmert sends envoys to Turkey for more Syria talks

ISTANBUL/JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said the Jewish state had resumed indirect talks with Syria in Turkey on Tuesday and called on Damascus to break with Iran in favor of a broader peace.

Israel and Syria launched Turkish-mediated talks in May but have not yet agreed to hold face-to-face negotiations.

"At a certain stage it will not be enough simply to make signals, no matter how positive they are," Olmert said in a speech in Jerusalem, as his envoys began a fourth round of indirect talks with Syria.

"Syria must decide between favoring Iran, partnership in the axis of evil and suffering international isolation, and peace, economic prosperity and a place among the family of nations," Olmert said.

Olmert described the fresh round of talks as "serious and practical".

Negotiations centre on the fate of the Golan Heights, a strategic plateau which Israel captured from Syria in the 1967 Middle East war. Damascus demands the return of all the Golan.

Israel, in turn, wants Syria to scale back ties with the Jewish state's main foes -- Iran, Palestinian Hamas and Lebanese Hezbollah. Syria has so far refused to do so.

An Israeli official, who asked not to be named, said two top aides to Olmert, Yoram Turbowicz and Shalom Turjeman, were leading Israel's first talks with Syria in eight years.

Turkish officials have said the long-time foes would decide during the current round whether to move to direct talks starting in August.

"We are happy with the process. It is taking place in a positive atmosphere and moving forward quickly. But we may need a couple of more rounds (of talks) in order to go into direct talks," a Turkish government source, who declined to be named, told Reuters.

Turkish government sources said they expected the fourth round, at an undisclosed location in Istanbul, to take at least two days.

Another Turkish government source said Olmert's uncertain political future and the apparent reluctance by the Syrians to rush into direct talks may mean more time would be required to reach the next stage.

Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni has stepped up a campaign to replace Olmert, who faces a police investigation that could force him out of office.

(Additional reporting by Zerin Elci; Writing by Joseph Nasr, Editing by Alison Williams)