Israel and Syria reveal peace talks in Turkey

By Jeffrey Heller and Alastair Macdonald

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel and Syria said on Wednesday they had begun indirect peace talks mediated by Turkey, the first confirmation of negotiations between the long-time enemies in eight years.

In coordinated statements, Israel and Syria said they had begun an open dialogue with the aim of a comprehensive peace. Turkey said delegations of both countries, officially at war since Israel's creation 60 years ago, were already in Istanbul.

The United States said it did "not object" but repeated its

criticism of Syria's "support of terrorism" -- a reminder for many analysts that U.S. hostility to Damascus, and to its Iranian and Lebanese Hezbollah allies, makes a Syria-Israel deal unlikely before President George W. Bush steps down in January.

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, who revealed the talks two days before he faces a police interrogation over graft allegations, said the process would be long, complex and could end in "difficult concessions" for Israel -- an apparent reference to his willingness to hand back the Golan Heights.

"It's always better to talk than shoot," Olmert said, without spelling out what concessions he was thinking of. Just eight months ago, Israeli jets bombed what U.S. officials have called a North Korean-designed nuclear facility in Syria.

An Israeli statement, echoed by one from Syria, said the two sides would now "conduct dialogue in a serious and continuous manner with the aim of reaching a comprehensive peace".

GOLAN HEIGHTS