Despite Israeli protests, Syria said that Turkey is indispensable as mediator for peace, Bassel Oudat reports from Damascus The Syrian leadership is insisting, without giving reasons, that Turkey should remain a mediator in the indirect talks with Israel. But well-informed Syrian sources say that there are several reasons for the preference for Turkish mediation. More than a year after the start of indirect Syrian-Israeli talks, the Israelis claim that Turkey cannot be a fair mediator. Since Israel's war on Gaza, Turkish-Israeli ties have deteriorated. Early this year, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan stormed out of a panel in Davos to underline his impatience with Israeli President Shimon Peres. When he went to France in mid-November, the Israeli prime minister reiterated his country's rejection of a Turkish role in negotiations. Netanyahu said that Paris should mediate instead. Syria is not willing to humour Netanyahu on that point. Indeed, it rejected offers of mediation by more than one European country, France and Italy included. If Europe really wants to help, the Syrians say, it should persuade the Israelis to go on talking through the Turks. Two days after Netanyahu visited Paris, the Syrian president arrived in the French capital to declare that Turkey is the only acceptable go-between. France, he made it clear, is not a likely candidate for mediation in the foreseeable future. Al-Assad called on France to support the Turkish role and to persuade Israel to allow Ankara to remain mediator of the indirect talks. The Syrians told the French that Netanyahu's acceptance of Turkish mediation is a litmus test of his seriousness about peace. If Netanyahu wants peace, he has to accept the Turkish role, Syrian officials said. Syria and Israel started indirect talks with Turkish mediation in May 2008. The negotiations were suspended by Israel in December 2008, right before the Israelis went on the offensive in Gaza. Syrian sources say that there are several reasons for Turkey to remain as a mediator. One is that Syria trusts Turkey more than any European country. This is because of the strong strategic and political bonds between the two countries. Damascus and Ankara tend to agree on various regional matters. And Syria believes that Turkey is sincere in its quest to resolve the Arab- Israeli conflict. Over the past two years, dozens of agreements were signed by Syria and Turkey in security and military matters as well as economic and cultural issues. The relations between the two countries turned a corner with the signing of the agreement cancelling entry visas between the two countries. Syria and Turkey have concluded a free trade agreement and started cooperation in various joint ventures in industry and infrastructure. Everything considered, the two countries are cruising through a harmonious phase of cooperation and understanding. The Syrians also have high regard for Turkey's regional role. Damascus believes that Turkey has considerable leverage over Israel. As a geographical link between Asia and Europe and a military partner with Israel and NATO, Ankara can exercise influence over the Israelis, the Syrians say. Damascus is also pleased with Ankara's foreign policy, especially the fact that the Turks have maintained even-handed relations with Iraq, Lebanon, and Iran. Turkey has a relatively strong economy. Even more importantly, it controls much of the water that comes to the region. This is something of which both the Syrians and Israelis are intensely aware. When it comes to fair dealing, the Syrians trust the Turks more than the Europeans. Due to their close ties with Israel, most European countries cannot be good mediators. Even when they try, European countries cannot be completely fair, Damascus maintains. If the Europeans really want to help, they should mediate between Syria and the US. According to Syrian sources, Damascus would only give up Turkey as a mediator if the US is willing to step in as a sponsor of the peace talks. If the choice is between Turkey and the US as mediators, Damascus would opt for the US, for the Americans have the power to make Israel abide by a fair deal. The leverage, political and economic, that the US can wield over Israel is much greater than anything Ankara can pull off. It is almost a year since US President Barack Obama pledged to work for peace in the Middle East and little has been accomplished yet. Still, Syria is still hoping that the Americans would step in and act as mediators. In fact, Damascus is hoping that US mediation would ease tensions with Washington and end the sanctions. Netanyahu is not having any of that. He wants to punish the Turkish government for its reaction to the war on Gaza. More to the point, he wants to renege on any agreements reached so far in the indirect talks. Some progress was made in the Turkish-sponsored talks. When the talks broke off, the two sides were about to discuss the exact borders of 4 June 1967 and proceed into other matters concerning the final agreement. Netanyahu wants another mediator because he would rather start from square one. Besides, Israel still hopes to muddy the water between Syria and Europe. The Israelis want to give Europe the impression that Syria doesn't favour its involvement in the talks. Two weeks ago, Israel's Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman reiterated his country's rejection of Turkish mediation. He said that the Turks cannot insult Israel and its president and prime minister and get away with it. But there are signs that Turkey and Israel are trying to work out their differences. Turkish and Israeli officials have spoken of a desire to restore the alliance between their countries to its former state. When he visited Turkey in mid-November, Israeli Trade and Industry Minister Binyamin Ben- Eliezer spoke of "special ties" between the two countries. Israel wants to consolidate its political, strategic, and economic ties with Turkey, he said. Ben-Eliezer was the first Israeli minister to visit Israel since relations between the two countries cooled off a year or so ago. He said that Turkey can help put things back on track in the Syrian-Israeli conflict, and may once again become a mediator. When asked about Lieberman's statements, Ben-Eliezer said that Israel was a democracy and that everyone can say what they please. Slim as it is, there is a chance Turkey may resume mediation. However, there are other options. France and Russia have suggested an international peace conference. But the last such conference held in Annapolis in 2007 was not much of a success. The way things are, peace may be unattainable until the Americans, now busy with other things, step in as mediators, sponsors and guarantors.
