Damascus - Syria was ready to improve relations with Saudi Arabia and Egypt, but would not take part in the US-sponsored Annapolis peace conference, President Bashar Assad said in an interview with Tunisia's Ash-Shrouk newspaper published by Syrian papers Thursday. Assad said Syrian relations with both countries were "not as they should be," and that "Syria doesn't mind making an initiative to improve these relations."
Damascus' relations with longtime US allies Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Jordan have been cool, partly over what they see as Syria's role in promoting Iranian interests in the Arab world.
"It's in Syria's interest to have Arab solidarity ... to discuss what we should do, especially with regards to the next months," which would shape the country's destiny, Assad said.
He said his country would send envoys to Arab countries soon to discuss the recent non-binding US Senate resolution that proposed a reshaping of Iraq into three sectarian or ethnic territories, underlining the need to assist Iraq to face the resolution.
Assad also said his country would not take part in the US- sponsored November peace conference as Syria would "not participate in a conference that lacks the chances of success."
The conference is expected to be held in Annapolis, Maryland, in mid to late-November to provide the foundation for peace talks to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
The US have invited Syria, but Assad has made it clear his country would not attend if the conference did not address the issue of the Golan Heights, which Israel captured form Syria in the 1967 Mideast war.
The conference, Assad said, should be "serious and clear ... and should include all peace tracks and the Golan issue."
"The Syrian track is essential, and the Golan Issue is number one," he said.
However, he said the US administration neither had the vision nor the will to make peace, and neither did Israel.
"The Israeli government is weak,... it can launch war but it cannot make peace."
The Syrian president said Turkey was now playing a mediating role between Damascus and Tel Aviv.
"We have told them (the Turks) that our stand towards peace doesn't change ... All we want is a clear declaration by Israeli officials of their peace desire and to return land to Syria."
"We also want guarantees that the full land would return," he added.
Only with those guarantees was "the climate ... suitable for peace ... Then we can talk about consultation with other powers to resume negotiations," Assad said.
Assad also referred to Israel's reticence over the September 6 aircraft attack on Syria, saying "the embarrassment and mystery expresses the failure of the Israeli or US intelligence source, which has made the Israeli official feels embarrassed to say what is the aim of this raid."
The incident has sparked furious and conflicting reports in the foreign press, with some claiming that Israel attacked an arms shipment to Hezbollah guerrillas in Lebanon or a nuclear installation built with North Korean help, or that the mission was an attempt to gauge Syria's air defenses.
Syria has said the aircraft attacked a Topography Institution.
"They (the Israelis) are trying to cover their failure by mystery ... If the target was worthless, then there is nothing secret. And if the target has a big value, then Israel should talk ... This, for her, represents a victory," Assad said.
Assad also warned of any US military action against Iran, saying it would be "foolish and detrimental to the region and the world."
