Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Mualem said that Syria was still in a state of war with Israel, regardless of advances in talks between Jerusalem and Damascus. In an interview with Al Jazeera, Mualem said that "it is natural that Syria will continually seek to acquire negotiating cards against Israel."
In addition, he said, what Syria could not achieve through negotiation, it would achieve through war. "We believe that peace will never be achieved merely through diplomatic means, but also through active opposition. This is the legitimate right of all nations," he said.