Syrian President Bashar al-Assad election
Riz Khan

Israeli/Syrian peace efforts

The professor behind the talks reveals just what is important to Syria’s president.

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What is more important to Syria’s president – peace
with Israel or relations with the US? [AFP]

When news broke earlier this year of behind-the-scenes peace talks between Israel and Syria, analysts were doubtful and officially Israel denied its involvement.

But as the details emerged it seemed that many of the key issues – Israel abandoning its occupation of Syria’s Golan Heights, demilitarisation of the border and access to key water resources – were worked out, at least in theory.

Yet peace remains as elusive as ever.

Now the Syrian-American professor behind the effort is talking.

On Tuesday’s Riz Khan we speak with Ibrahim Soliman and ask him what went wrong and what is more important to Syrian president Bashar al-Assad – peace with Israel or better relations with the US? Or are the two intrinsically linked?

This episode of Riz Khan aired on Tuesday 26 June 2007

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