The New Nation - Internet Edition

AP, Beirut

Syria's president said in an interview published Thursday that his country may hold peace talks with Israel, but not until a new U.S. administration takes office.

Syrian President Bashar Assad said that Turkish mediation over the past year could lay the groundwork for direct talks and that Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert had passed a message to Syria saying he is prepared to hand over the Golan Heights in return for peace.

In an interview with the Qatari newspaper Al-Watan, Assad said the United States is the only country that can sponsor direct Syrian-Israel negotiations. But he said the Bush administration, which leaves office in January, "does not have the vision or will for the peace process." Assad said Turkish officials passed on a message a week ago that Olmert had "assured the Turkish prime minister of his readiness to return the Golan."