Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom said on Wednesday that Israel would resume peace talks with Syria if Syria halts its support for Palestinian militants.

"I told Syrian President Bashar al-Assad that if Syria closes the terror headquarters in Damascus, Syria will find Israel a real partner in peace," Shalom told an academic conference in the seaside town of Herzliya.

"Every peace overture from Arab leaders is positive. So we should welcome Assad's call for peace. It is forbidden to turn away the hand of peace," he stressed.

"The moment Syria ends it's support for terror we will go immediately to the negotiating table," he said. Shalom's remarks appeared to be the most positive Israeli response to Syria's call for the revival of peace talks between the two sides.

Syria has recently indicated that it is keen to resume negotiations with Israel, whose reaction has been lukewarm. Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has insisted that Syria first close the headquarters of Palestinian militant groups in Damascus and end its support for other militant groups.

Negotiations between the two countries foundered in early 2000 over the fate of the strategic Golan Heights that the Jewish state seized from Syria in the 1967 Middle East War and annexed in 1981.

Shalom said that the two countries should implement a series of limited agreements before heading toward a permanent peace deal." I want to work toward confidence-building measures between Israel and Syria in defined areas like trade, agriculture and the environment," Shalom said.

"Assad must leave the rhetoric and be realistic. He must make the strategic choice to join the camp of peace," he added. He said that Assad could prove his peace desire by returning remains of Eli Cohen, an Israeli spy who was executed in Syrian early 40 years ago.

"This will give an unparalleled positive sign ... indicating you have real intentions of making peace," Shalom said. Shalom also said that Israel hopes to establish diplomatic relations with more Arab countries. Currently, Israel has such ties with Egypt, Jordan and Mauritania.

"We have no argument with Arab countries in north Africa. We have no argument with the Gulf countries. So I call on all the leaders. let's end the conflict because the time has come for peace," Shalom said.

(Xinhua News Agency December 16, 2004)