Syria's Assad
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PM Olmert
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Syria and Israel agree to hold fresh talks
Turkish official says Damascus, Jerusalem to hold fourth round of indirect talks in Ankara in late July and fifth and sixth rounds of talks in August. ' Countries started talking on core issues,' source says
Syria and Israel have agreed to hold a fourth round of indirect talks in Turkey in late July, a Turkish government source told Reuters on Thursday.
The two countries also agreed to hold fifth and sixth rounds of talks in August. They will decide at the July meeting whether the August talks will be indirect or direct, the source said.
The third round of talks started in Istanbul on Tuesday and ended on Thursday.
"The talks were constructive and the countries started talking on core issues," the source said.
The parties are negotiating over the fate of the Golan Heights, a strategic plateau which Israel occupied in a 1967 war and which Syrian wants it to return.
"The two sides reiterated their common will to continue their talks and agreement to continue meeting regularly," a Turkish foreign ministry statement said.
"The talks took place in a constructive and positive atmosphere," it said.
