Turk PM in Syria to discuss mediation with Israel

By Khaled Yacoub Oweis

DAMASCUS (Reuters) - Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan met Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Saturday to discuss Turkish attempts to help relaunch peace talks between Syria and Israel.

Turkey, a mainly Muslim country with close ties with Israel, has been relaying messages between Syria and Israel for months, diplomats say.

Syrian officials say Erdogan called Assad last week to tell him Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert had told Turkey that Israel was willing to give back all of Syria's Golan Heights in return for peace with Syria.

"The trust Turkey has makes it almost obligatory to take on a mediating role," Erdogan told reporters in Turkey before flying to the Syrian capital.

"The peace diplomacy we carry out will have a positive contribution ... whether in Iraq, between Syria and Israel or between Israel and Palestine."

Assad told Qatar's al-Watan newspaper this week that Syria was ready to negotiate with Israel through Turkey to "find common ground" for peace, but any direct talks must wait until a new U.S. president was elected.

Olmert, who has been on holiday in the Golan Heights this month, told the daily Yedioth Ahronoth last week, in answer to a question on pulling out of the Golan, that he was working to achieve a "significant move" for peace with Syria.

Erdogan is due to leave Damascus later on Saturday after having lunch with Assad. He earlier opened a Syrian-Turkish business forum.