By SPA,
Washington : The White House on Wednesday welcomed the idea of indirect talks between Syria and Israel.
The talks, which were announced on Wednesday, would be indirect, and mediated by U.S.-allied Turkey.
When asked about it, White House press secretary Dana Perino said that the decision for Israel to have talks with Syria is up to Israel because it is “a sovereign state.” But, she added that “they had kept us apprised from the beginning of the initiative,” so the United States was not surprised.
“We believe that progress toward peace in the region would be certainly welcome. And the President [U.S. President George W. Bush] recognizes that it will need to be a comprehensive peace. Israel is going to need to have good relations with their neighbors. So there needs to be good relations between Israel and their Palestinian neighbors, Israel and their Syrian neighbors, and Israel and their Lebanese neighbors,” Perino said.
She also added that the United States is appreciative of the “role that Turkey has been willing to play to mediate these discussions.”