Syria's Assad says Israel too extreme to make peace

By Khaled Yacoub Oweis

DAMASCUS (Reuters) - Syrian President Bashar al-Assad cast doubt on Saturday on reaching Middle East peace under what he termed as an "extreme" Israeli government but did not rule out resuming talks with the Jewish state.

"The failure of the peace process so far has clearly shown that Israel is the obstacle ... How can a state that was founded on illegal occupation and continues to murder the original inhabitants work towards peace?" Assad said.

"How can a country that has chosen the most extreme government in its history be a partner for peace?" he added.

Assad, who was addressing a foreign ministers' meeting of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC), was referring to the Israeli government of right-wing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, which took office two months ago.

"We the Arab nations, and especially Syria will not change our view about peace as a strategic goal, including the full return of occupied lands," Assad said in the Syrian capital.

Syria, which along with Iran supports the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, held four rounds of Turkish mediated indirect talks with Israel in 2008 that were formally suspended during the Israeli invasion of Gaza in December.

Damascus was among the most vocal critics of the invasion, which enhanced its position as a self-declared champion of Arab rights, to the ire of the U.S. backed governments of Egypt and Saudi Arabia.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov attended the OIC meeting and separately met Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal, who lives in exile in Syria, at the Russian embassy.