Obama backs Israeli-Syrian peace talks

WASHINGTON, May 23 (UPI) -- U.S. Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama said he would support Israel-Syria peace negotiations and oppose attempts to stop such talks.

"I have consistently said that the United States must stand ready to help Israel achieve peace with its neighbors and should not block Israel from the negotiating table, nor force it to negotiate," Obama told the Jerusalem Post.

It was reported Wednesday that Turkey is mediating talks between Israel and Syria on a peace agreement between the two countries.

A spokesman for the campaign of presumptive Republican presidential nominee John McCain said the Arizona senator's "view is that the sovereign government of Israel should be free to make its own decisions on how best to defend Israel and whether to engage in negotiations."