Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said on Sunday Israel should refrain from talks with Syria at the current stage, which was interpreted by local paper as a sign of a policy of avoid going against the U.S. stance regarding Damascus.

Speaking at the weekly cabinet meeting, Olmert stated that the conditions for talks with Syria were mot yet mature, local Yedioth Ahronoth paper said on its online edition.

Olmert's statement came two days after Syrian President Bashar Assad's call on Israel to accept his proposal for opening peace negotiations in an interview.

Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Moallem later added that the return of the Golan Heights was not a precondition for talks with Israel.

According to Yedioth Ahronoth paper, what lies behind Olmert's reluctance to accept Syria's overtures for negotiations are pressures from the United States.

Olmert asked his cabinet members whether now was a good time for Israel to express views that go against those of the American president, while he is engaged in hard internal-political battles, as well as wars in Iraq and other places.

"The question that should be asked is why Assad made these declarations after the Baker report was published in Washington, after (U.S. President George W.) Bush made a strong statement on the matter, and when the entire international community demands that the Syrians stop their war mongering and acts against the Seniora government in Lebanon," Olmert was quoted as telling his cabinet ministers.

The United States have limited diplomatic ties with Syria because of its support for Hezbollah and Hamas. But the bipartisan Iraq Study Group has recommended in the Baker report that the United States should engage Iran and Syria on the war in Iraq.

Olmert then reminded the ministers that the United States were Israel's most important ally, and that the state has a strategic relationship with the U.S..

"The question is not what we give to Assad...... but what Israel gets in return," the paper quoted Olmert as saying, who added that "Can Israel, under today's circumstances, disconnect Syria from Iran? Can we stop Syria's support for Hamas? Before we respond and formulate our policy we should weigh these things with caution."

However, sources at the Prime Minister's Office said that Olmert did not completely rule out talks with Syria, the paper said.

Meanwhile, Israeli Defense Minister Amir Peretz said on Sunday that Syria's overtures for dialogue with Israel deserve consideration."

Source: Xinhua