Syria rules out peace with Sharon

Assad rejected President Katsav's invitation

Syria says it believes peace with Israel is impossible as long as Ariel Sharon's government remains in power.

Prime Minister Naji al-Otari said there was no hope under the "Zionist" administration, as he put it, of getting a just, comprehensive peace.

Earlier this week Syrian President Bashar al-Assad rejected his Israeli counterpart's invitation to visit Jerusalem for peace talks.

Mr Otari also dismissed Moshe Katsav's invitation as "propaganda".

Mr Assad has said in recent media interviews that he is ready to resume talks with Israel, but Syrian officials say Damascus' objective remains the recovery of the Golan Heights.

Israel and Syria are still technically at war - peace talks broke down four years ago over the future of the Golan Heights which were captured from Syria in the 1967 war.

Israel has said that it will not accept any conditions for the revival of the talks.

The Jewish state also wants to discuss the Lebanese group Hezbollah, accused of involvement in attacks across the Israeli border.

Mr Sharon believes that Syria is still helping agents of the group.