A delegation of the European Union told Prime Minister Shimon Peres that it was interested in helping with the peace negotiations between Syria and Israel.
“We think the moment has come for Europe with the United States to help with the peace process on the Syrian-Israeli track,” Italian Foreign Minister Susanna Agnelli told reporters after meeting Peres.
Agnelli heads the three-member mission that arrived Wednesday in Israel from Damascus, where the delegation met with Syrian President Hafez Assad.
“We were very pleased to understand that Assad was very open to negotiations with Israel, and very pleasant towards the whole Israeli attitude,” she said.
Talks between Israeli and Syrian teams, along with U.S. officials, are set to resume Feb. 28 at Wye Plantation in Maryland.
Peres praised the European Union’s efforts and proposed that the European delegation meet with U.S. officials in order to coordinate positions on aid to the Middle East and on the peace process.
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