British journalist Seale: Syrian overture serious

British journalist Patrick Seale, who wrote the biography of former Syrian President Hafiz al Assad, father of current President Bashar Assad, said Sunday morning that the latest Syrian peace overtures toward Israel were serious. Seale, who is close to the Syrian regime, told Israel Radio in an interview that Assad wants a diplomatic pact because he fears the anarchy in the Middle East, which he believes has been caused by the failure of US policy. Seale added that the Syrians' readiness to renew negotiations with Israel without preconditions meant an interest in starting talks from where they left off during former prime minister Ehud Barak's government. He also cautioned that Israel should not think peace with Damascus would distance Syria from Iran, since the two countries have had good relations since the early days of the Islamic uprising.