Syrian President Bashar Assad reiterated calls for peace talks with Israel Monday evening in an interview with the BBC, and called into question the strenghtof the current Israeli government and its ability to turn towards peace. According to Assad the proper conditions for negotiations were not yet achieved, but, said the Syrian president, he hoped Israel was prepared to agree to neighborliness with Syria, which was looking for peace. "It takes two to tango," said Assad. "But if one side is dancing tango and the other side is dancing waltz, they will both stumble."
Assad also said that his country only granted Hizbullah political support, not military, in its fight with Israel, and that Syria was committed to UN Resolution 1701.