Nicolas Sarkozy
Photo: AP
Will they shake hands? Olmert and Assad
Photo: AP, Amos Ben Gershom, GPO
Sarkozy invites Olmert, Assad to Paris conference
Invitation relayed to Jerusalem ahead of French president's scheduled visit to Israel on June 22; Israeli PM expresses willingness to attend, Syrian leader yet to respond
French President Nicolas Sarkozy has invited Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Syrian President Bashar Assad to participate in a conference scheduled for July 13 in Paris.
Olmert has expressed his willingness to attend the conference, which will focus on the Middle East, while Assad has yet to respond. Other Mideast leaders are also expected to participate.
The invitation was recently relayed to Jerusalem ahead of Sarkozy's scheduled visit to Israel on June 22 in honor of the country's 60th anniversary.
If Assad decides to attend the conference it would mark the first time that leaders from Israel and Syria meet under one roof. However, it remains unclear whether Olmert and Assad will agree to hold one-on-one talks or even shake hands.
Official sources in Jerusalem told Ynet on Tuesday night that the negotiations between Israel and Syria will resume next week in Turkey.
The al-Arabiya news network said the disputed Shebaa Farms region may end be on the table as the representatives sit down with Turkish mediators once more to continue the peace talks.
