Peres: Assad Wants Lebanon, Not Golan

by **Admin** Sun Apr 27, 2008 5:33 am

Israeli
President Shimon Peres was quoted Friday as saying the only way for
Syrian President Bashar Assad to regain the Golan Heights is to cut his
relations with Iran and Hizbullah. The daily Maariv said Peres made the
remark in a confidential meeting.

"Withdrawing from the Golan and reaching an agreement with Assad is not accepted in light of the present situation."

"We would not turn the Golan heights to the Iranians," he added.

"Assad
prefers Lebanon and the relation with Hizbullah to the Golan Heights.
If they do not break their relations with Hizbullah and the Iranians,
they can't have the Golan."

"Barak,
Netanyahu and Rabin offered the Syrians all the heights, but they
prefer Lebanon. We all want peace, but the question is what do we give
up and what does the other side give up," he added.

An
aide to Peres quoted the Israeli president as saying "Israel would not
accept changing Lebanon into a branch for Iran … Assad is worried that
he might lose his rule of Syria if he agreed on peace with Israel."