Damascus - Syrian Defence Minister General Hassan Turkmani said Thursday that Israel's withdrawal from the occupied land is the only way to peace.

Turkmani said in comments on Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's statements that "withdrawal from the occupied lands is an implementation of the international law that calls for returning lands back to their real owners," the Syrian Arab News Agency SANA reported.

Turkmani was referring to the capture of the Golan Heights by during the 1967 Arab-Israeli war.

Olmert had previously denied that he had committed to withdrawing from the occupied Golan Heights, as a precondition set by Syria for renewing peace negotiations.

Turkmani said that "Syria has stressed its desire in peace by resuming indirect negotiations with Israel under a Turkish patronage and according to Madrid terms of reference and the Land-for-Peace formula."

The Syrian Defence Minister added that Syria welcomes consensus among the Lebanese because stability in Lebanon means the stability of the whole region. (dpa)