Israel is using secret channels to assess whether Syria is ready to enter peace talks with the Jewish state, but Damascus has yet to respond, Deputy Israeli Prime Minister Shaul Mofaz said on Saturday. "We have turned to Syria with secret channels. It's been done... At this stage, there is no Syrian reaction," Mofaz told Israel Radio.
Mofaz did not say which channels were being used to send messages to Syria and did not say what they contained. He said the secret channels were one way "to test (Syria's) intentions".
Olmert had made clear in messages to Syria that he was willing to return the Golan Heights, captured by Israel 40 years ago this week, if Damascus cut ties with Iran, Hezbollah and Palestinian militant groups, Israeli officials said on Friday on condition of anonymity.
He was waiting from President Bashar al-Assad, they said. Olmert said on Wednesday Syria was being assured Israel did not want war. But Israeli intelligence chiefs are divided, officials say, over whether Syria genuinely wants to talk about peace or is preparing for war.
There was no immediate comment from Damascus. Mofaz met this week with top Bush administration officials. Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert will visit Washington later this month for talks with US President George W. Bush.
The United States and Israel are keen to loosen Assad's ties to Iran, whose nuclear programme and influence in Iraq have caused them concern. "The axis of Iran, Syria, Hamas and Hezbollah is a radical axis that, in many ways, is getting stronger. The American strategy is to strengthen the more moderate axis - Saudia Arabia, Jordan and Egypt - to create a more influential group," Mofaz said.
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