Secretray Rice on Syrian-Israeli talks and on Lebanon

Secretary's Remarks: Meetings in London
Thu, 1 May 2008

Meetings in London Secretary Condoleezza Rice En Route to London, England May 1, 2008

Excerpts:

QUESTION: Madame Secretary, first, do you support the Turkish mediation between Syria and Israel and will you mediate between Israel and Syria in the future? And second, there were stories yesterday that there was a meeting in Jordan between Prime Minister Olmert and a Syrian official. Do you have anything on that?

SECRETARY RICE: I don't. I'm not going to comment on other people's meetings or non-meetings. I don't have anything on it.

But in terms of the reports of Turkish mediation between Syria and Israel, we have confidence in Turkey, we have confidence in Israel. I think it's quite clear that we don't have much confidence in Syria. But we have long said that the United States has no intention or no desire to stand in the way of efforts toward peace on any of their – the tracks.

The Annapolis process made clear that the Palestinian track is the most mature; it is the one that must be pushed forward, whatever else is pursued.

And I might just note, too, that Lebanon, which is still awaiting Syria's demarcation of its border, which is still awaiting proper diplomatic representation, an Ambassador from Syria to Lebanon, must not be left at the sidelines, whatever else takes place in this process. Because 1701 is extremely important. It also has certain issues that the UN is trying to deal with about territory. But the most important thing is that Syria needs to demarcate that border. And I would hope that this would not get lost. Let me put it this way: The United States will insist that it not get lost, whatever else is going on, but we are not going to ever stand in the way of peace, if that is the case, if people wish to pursue it.

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