Syria willing to negotiate with Israel, UN envoy says

Syria is willing to negotiate a peace deal with Israel without conditions, the United Nations envoy for the Middle East said today.

The comments by Terje Roed-Larsen, the Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, came after a 90-minute meeting in Damascus with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad that the UN envoy described as "warm, creative and constructive."

Mr. Roed-Larsen said the Syrian leader has an outstretched hand to Israel and is willing to go to the negotiating table with Israel based on the relevant Security Council resolutions and the principle of land for peace, without conditions.

After his meeting with the President, Mr. Roed-Larsen attended a luncheon in his honour hosted by Foreign Minister Farouk Al-Shara', which was also attended by other senior Syrian officials.