Syria rejects linking Israel peace with cutting off Iran

Syria will not accept preconditions over its resumed peace talks with Israel and will not compromise its relations with other states, the government daily Tishrin said on Saturday, referring to Iran.

"Damascus rejects all preconditions concerning its relations with other countries and peoples," it said after an Israeli call for Damascus to distance itself from Tehran, which has called for the destruction of the Jewish state.

"Damascus will make no compromise on these relations," an editorial said.

Israel and Syria announced on Wednesday they had launched indirect peace talks, with Turkey acting as go-between, after an eight-year freeze.

Israel's Housing Minister Zeev Boim said peace "can be reached with the Syrians only if they end all terror activities, including supporting and arming Hezbollah in Lebanon and giving up their strategic dependence on Iran."

Israel regards Iran as its greatest strategic threat.

A three-decade alliance between Damascus and Tehran was bolstered in 2006, when they signed an agreement on military cooperation.

A first round of peace feelers between Syria and Israel last year ran up against Damascus's objection to any explicit linkage between a peace deal and its support for Iran and Arab militant groups.

Last June, Syria's ruling coalition, the National Progressive Front, accused Israel of trying to "impose conditions which have nothing to do with the principles of peace."

Israel also wants Syria to stop supporting Lebanese and Palestinian militant groups. Damascus has repeatedly denied having links to such organisations. AFP

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