impasse Damascus, Dec 28, SPA -- Syria's foreign minister blamedIsrael in remarks published Tuesday for the deadlock inpeace talks between the two countries, citing Israel'srejection of Damascus' recent overtures. "Despite our repeated calls for the resumption ofnegotiations, the peace road is deadlocked," Faroukal-Sharaa said in a speech to Syrian political leaders lateMonday that was later carried by SANA, Syria's officialnews agency. "Israel and no one else is to blame for thedeadlock in the peace process." "At a time when Syria is clinging fast to therequirements of a just peace and does not put forth anyconditions to achieve peace, the Israeli side is puttingconditions on Syria that have nothing to do with peace,"al-Sharaa said. Al-Sharaa spoke at the annual meeting of leaders of theNational Progressive Front, considered the country'shighest ruling body. The group is headed by SyrianPresident Bashar Assad and includes the ruling Baath Partyand six other political parties. Al-Sharaa said Syria still upheld the so-called "RabinDeposit" or its position to resume peace talks from wherethey left off in 2000. Assad made a similar statementearlier this month, but the United Nations Mideast envoy,Terje Roed-Larsen, and Egyptian officials have said Assadis willing to restart talks without any conditions. The "Rabin Deposit" refers to a promise made by the lateIsraeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin to former U.S.President Bill Clinton for full withdrawal from the GolanHeights in any final peace agreement with Syria. ManyIsraelis contest that promise, which Clinton wrote about inhis memoirs. Syria has repeatedly said in recent weeks that it wishesto resume peace talks with Israel, which collapsed in 2000.--SPA1439 Local Time 1139 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/228212