JERUSALEM, Dec. 19 (UPI) -- Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's office in Jerusalem denied reports that Syria's president had sent a letter seeking peace talks.
The Al Arabiya newspaper had quoted Western diplomatic sources as saying Syrian President Bashar Assad forwarded a letter to Olmert in which he offered to renew peace talks without preconditions or time limits.
However, Olmert's staff on Tuesday said the report was false, The Jerusalem Post reported.
News of the letter came as Assad arrived in Moscow to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin, Syria's SANA news agency reported.
Syrian Vice President Farouk al-Shara said the main purpose of the visit was to discuss arms sales.
"We need Russian weapons for defense. Weapons supply is problematic -- the international community headed by the United States and Israel is overseeing us," Shara said.
