Turkish FM says time has come for "for Israel to openly display its will" to solve Arab-Israeli conflict.
By JPOST.COM STAFF, APDavutoglu 248.88 ap(photo credit: AP [file])
Israel must take steps to show that it wants a resolution of the Arab-Israeli conflict, Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said Wednesday.
Speaking during a a news conference with visiting Jordanian Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh, Davutoglu said the time had come "for Israel to openly display its will for peace if it has it." He did not elaborate.
Before being appointed foreign minister, Davutoglu served as Turkey's top envoy for the Middle East.
Last year, Turkey mediated four rounds of indirect negotiations between Israel and Syria, which broke down at the beginning of Operation Cast Lead in late December.
But recent rumblings have suggested that the talks could be restarted in the near future. Last week, Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon stated that Israel would be willing to re-enter negotiations with Syria, but only if they came in the form of direct talks.
During his meeting with President Shimon Peres this week, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev offered his country's assistance in opening such talks.
Peres also asked the Russians for help interceding with Syrian President Bashar Assad to enlist his assistance in obtaining the return of captured IDF soldier Gilad Schalit.
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![Davutoglu 248.88 ap (photo credit: AP [file])](https://images.jpost.com/image/upload/q_auto/c_fill,g_faces:center,h_537,w_822/30084 "Davutoglu 248.88 ap")