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Istanbul (dpa) - Israeli conductor Daniel Barenboim said Tuesday he was aiming to set up a performance of his West-Eastern Divan orchestra, comprised of Israelis and Arabs, in Damascus.
Barenboim, currently in Istanbul where the orchestra is to hold a concert on Wednesday, told journalist that talks on the matter had already been held with the Syrian government.
The conductor said that there could be no military solution in the Middle East.
He said the Divan orchestra, founded in 1999, aims to promote understanding.
About half the 100 members are Israelis, while the other half are from the Middle East and North Africa.
Barenboim noted that the complete orchestra would not be performing in Istanbul. Some mbmers from Syria and Lebanon had not come to Istanbul in protest against the conflict "and for various other reasons," he said.
The West-Eastern Divan orchestra is set for concerts later this year in Brussels, Paris, Berlin, Weimar and Milan.
Copyright 2006 dpa Deutsche Presse-Agentur GmbH
