Syria urges EU to back Turkish role in peace process

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has called on the 27-nation European Union to throw its weight behind indirect Damascus-Tel Aviv peace talks to be aided by Ankara.

During a meeting with visiting Austrian Foreign Minister Michael Spindelegger on Saturday, President Assad called for the establishment of a lasting and comprehensive peace in the Middle East region.

He also urged Europe to continue its objective role by supporting Turkey as a mediator.

Spindelegger, for his part, expressed the support of his country and the EU for all efforts which contribute to the resumption of peace negotiations and to stability in the Mideast.

Under Ankara mediation, Israel and Syria last May launched peace talks aimed at reaching a comprehensive peace agreement.

Negotiations reached a stalemate in September after the resignation of former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.

Syria then withdrew from the talks in protest at the latest Israeli military operations in the Gaza Strip — in December 2008 and January 2009 — where at least 1,330 Palestinians, a large number of them women and children, lost their lives to the three-week offensive.