Responding to Livni's conditions, Mohsen Bilal, Syria's information minister, said Syria has a natural right to take back the Golan Heights.
"We hope that the Israeli government is serious this time," he told Al Jazeera.
"The Israelis want a lot of conditions [in return for giving back the Golan] and we reject [them].
"The Golan Heights are a Syrian right. If they would like to achieve comprehensive peace, they have to withdraw to the pre-1967 border."
Complex process
The US, in its initial public reaction to the Israeli-Syrian contacts, said it does "not object" to talks, but repeated its criticism of Syria's "support of terrorism".
Olmert, who revealed the discussions with
Syria two days before he faces a police interrogation over bribery allegations that he has rejected, said the peace track would be long and complex.
But a television poll found 70 per cent of Israelis opposed giving back the Golan Heights to Syria, and a majority also believed Olmert was using the talks to distract from the criminal investigation that could force him from office.
Yossi Verter, a columnist for the Israeli daily Haaretz, said: "Everyone knows that Olmert wants to end his term on a diplomatic note, not a criminal one. The question is, what will come first - an indictment or a peace treaty."