Turkey asked Israel and Syria to present some specific answers on matters of security and borders before going to direct talks, the Arabic-language Al-Hayat daily. Syrian officials said that Syria was unwilling to engage Israel in direct peace talks until Israel answered six specific questions on the matter of the Golan Heights, according to the newspaper.
The report said Syria has given Turkish mediators its responses to Israel's security questions, but has asked that the document not be transferred until Israel delivers its responses to Damascus' own queries. Syria would not agree to move on to direct talks until the answers were given, it added.
