Syria rejects linking Israel peace with cutting off Iran

[bemildred]

DAMASCUS (AFP) - Syria will not accept preconditions over its resumed peace talks with Israel and will not compromise its relations with other states, the government daily Tishrin said on Saturday, referring to Iran.

"Damascus rejects all preconditions concerning its relations with other countries and peoples," it said after an Israeli call for Damascus to distance itself from Tehran, which has called for the destruction of the Jewish state.

"Damascus will make no compromise on these relations," an editorial said.

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Israel's Housing Minister Zeev Boim said peace "can be reached with the Syrians only if they end all terror activities, including supporting and arming Hezbollah in Lebanon and giving up their strategic dependence on Iran."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20080524/wl_mideast_afp/mideastsyriaisraeliran