DAMASCUS, Nov 25: Syria finally confirmed on Sunday it will take part in the US-hosted Middle East peace conference alongside Israel, after assurances that the thorny issue of the Golan Heights will be on the agenda.

Israel was swift to welcome the announcement, although Syria said its delegation to Annapolis, Maryland, will be led by Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad in place of Foreign Minister Walid Muallem.

“The Syrian government received an invitation from the United States... to attend the Annapolis conference, and has agreed to accept after the inclusion of the Syrian track on the conference’s agenda,” the state news agency SANA said, quoting a Syrian official.

“Syria has agreed to send an official delegation led by Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad,” a former ambassador to the United Nations, the official added.

More than a dozen other Arab countries attending Tuesday’s conference near Washington, including regional heavyweight Saudi Arabia, are sending their foreign ministers, although most of them have no ties with Israel.

Damascus had pegged its participation on an agreement by Washington to include the Golan Heights, which Israel has occupied since 1967, on the agenda of the conference.

Israel welcomed Syria’s decision to attend the conference which is aimed at ending a seven-year stalemate in Palestinian-Israeli negotiations.

“Israel sees in a positive way the high-ranking participation of Syria at the Annapolis meeting,” Prime Minister Ehud Olmert’s spokeswoman Miri Eisin told AFP.

“This conference is clearly about advancing the Israeli-Palestinian peace process and also about the possibility to open additional avenues for peace.”—AFP