DAMASCUS - Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said Saturday that Middle East peace will not be possible without the return of Syrian land occupied by Israel.
In a speech to parliament in which he is widely expected to make an announcement on the future of Syrian troops in neighboring Lebanon, he said: "Peace in our region will never be achieved unless our land that is occupied is returned to us.
"We have said we were ready to resume negotiations (with Israel) without preconditions, but that does not mean that (international) rules and resolutions need not be applied."
Israel captured the Golan Heights from Syria during the 1967 Middle East war and later annexed the territory.
Peace talks broke off in January 2000.
03/05/2005 16:33 GMT