The United States and Europe must talk to Syria and Iran if they want a comprehensive solution to Iraq and other Middle East problems, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said in an interview published on Friday.
Assad told the Italian la Repubblica newspaper that he was ready to cooperate with Washington to resolve regional issues and challenged Israel to open up to Syria. He also said Europe had a "complex" over the Jewish Holocaust.
"The fact is that we (Syrians) live in this region, we know it well," he said, adding that Washington "needs our help" to formulate a plan for Iraq.
Asked if he was ready to work constructively with Washington, he said, "Certainly we are ready to do so. Because if you don't resolve regional questions - Iraq, Lebanon, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict - it will be we bordering countries that will pay the highest price."
Assad said Israel should also take up Syria's offer to hold talks. "I say to [Israeli Prime Minister Ehud] Olmert: 'Take a chance. Discover if we are bluffing or not.'"
Asked about this week's conference sponsored by Iran questioning the Holocaust, Assad said: "Listen, Europe has a complex about the Holocaust. We don't because we didn't do it."
