A fifth round of indirect Israeli-Syrian talks in Turkey that were expected Thursday and Friday have been postponed, but neither Israeli nor Turkish sources confirmed remarks made Wednesday by Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem that Israel had requested the delay. Muallem, speaking at a press conference in Damascus with visiting Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Moratinos, said the talks were "postponed by the Israeli side." "When Israel is ready to resume the talks, we will be, too, because we want to build a solid base that will allow the launch of direct negotiations whatever the outcome of the Kadima party elections in Israel," the Syrian foreign minister was quoted as saying. Israeli government sources, however, said the delay was unrelated to Wednesday's Kadima primary. According to these sources, the Prime Minister's Office was still waiting for authorization from the Justice Ministry allowing chief negotiator Yoram Turbowicz - who resigned as Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's chief of staff in August - to continue this work on a voluntary basis. Turbowicz's unclear status was said to be the factor holding up talks at present. Turkish sources said Ankara was told that a decision regarding Turbowicz would be made by last Sunday, but that no decision was made. Government sources in Jerusalem would only say that Turbowicz's status would be cleared up "shortly." Olmert's spokesman Mark Regev, while not commenting on the delay, said Israel was committed to the contacts with Syria, and that he hoped another round of indirect talks would take place "in the very near future." Earlier this month, during a visit to Damascus by French President Nicolas Sarkozy, Assad said that Turbowicz's resignation was the reason for the postponement of the fifth round of talks, originally scheduled for late August. Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, however, said following a meeting with Assad, Sarkozy and the emir of Qatar that the talks would be held on September 18-19 in Turkey. Nevertheless, Turkish sources said that neither Israel nor Syria ever confirmed their participation in those talks. While Muallem said on Wednesday that Israel was responsible for the postponement, diplomatic officials said Syria was keen on not holding the talks the day after the Kadima primary, because it wanted to be clear - before the next round of talks were held - that the discussions had the backing and blessing of the new Kadima leader. The top two contenders in the Kadima primary, Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and Transportation Minister Shaul Mofaz, have both expressed reservations about pursuing the Syrian track at this time.
