Syria sees direct talks with Israel possible

MANAMA (Reuters) - Direct peace negotiations between Syria and Israel would be possible if the Jewish state showed seriousness in the indirect talks held in Turkey, Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moualem said on Wednesday.

"We hope the Israeli side would be serious about them (indirect talks) so that both sides would be able to hold direct negotiations," Moualem told Reuters on the sidelines of a conference in the Bahraini capital.

Israel and Syria said on Wednesday they had launched indirect peace talks mediated by Turkish officials, the first confirmation of negotiations between the long-time enemies in eight years.

"This is a peace process; in the past it took 10 years. Now these are indirect talks mediated by Turkey," Moualem said of negotiations that faltered in October 2000 over the fate of the strategic Golan Heights, occupied by Israel since 1967.

Moualem said that Damascus would not have taken any steps towards peace with Israel had the Jewish state not showed that it was willing to quit the Heights in exchange for peace.

"Without this commitment we cannot conduct any negotiation ... without this we will not move one step," Moualem said.

Some 18,000 Israelis have moved to the Golan Heights and about 20,000 Druze Muslims also live there. Israel gave the Druze the option of citizenship after annexing the territory, in a move not recognised internationally, though many rejected it.

(Reporting by Mohammed Abbas; Writing by Inal Ersan; Editing by Richard Balmforth)