Assad: Talks will need int'l sponsorship, particularly from US

Syrian-Israeli peace negotiations "will need international sponsorship in later stages of talks, particularly from the US," Syrian President Bashar Assad said Monday at a press conference during a visit to the United Arab Emirates. Assad explained that the US was in an important position due to its status as a world power and its special and strong connections with Israel. But the Syrian president stressed that talks were still in preliminary stages.