Syrian Government to Attend Mideast Peace Conference
Syria has accepted a U.S. invitation to attend this week's Mideast peace conference in the city of Annapolis, ending the
uncertainty about whether Damascus would participate.
The Syrian government said Sunday that it is sending Deputy Foreign Minister Faysal Mekdad to Tuesday's conference.
Damascus says it decided to take part after the Israeli-Syrian peace track was added to the agenda. Syria had made its
participation conditional on the talks covering its demand for a return of the Golan Heights, captured by Israel in the
1967 Mideast war.
Israeli government spokeswoman Miri Eisin welcomed Syria's announcement. She says the Annapolis conference will remain
focused on Israeli-Palestinian issues, but may also open what she called "new avenues" to peace in the Middle East.
Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni said today it is important for Arab states to support Palestinian peace efforts.
But, she also says the Arab world does not have the right to define the terms of negotiations between Israel and the
Palestinians.
Arab League foreign ministers decided to attend the Annapolis conference during a meeting in Cairo last Friday.
In another development, Pope Benedict urged the faithful today to pray that participants at the conference find the
"wisdom and courage" to bring peace to the Holy Land. In his weekly address in the Vatican, Benedict said he hoped the
talks will lead to a "just and definitive" solution to the 60-year Arab-Israeli conflict.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Israel Prime Minister Ehud Olmert arrived in Washington Sunday for talks with
U.S. officials ahead of the conference.
ENDS