Syria spares no efforts for the success of the ME peace at Shepherds talks
Syria, Politics, 1/8/2000

A tripartite meeting was held on Friday in Shepherds town, west Virginia, near Washington. It was attended by the US President Bill Clinton, the Foreign minister Farouk al-Sharaa and the Israeli prime Minister Ehud Barak. The meeting was also attended by the US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, the US national security advisor Sandy Burger, several members of the Israeli and Syrian negotiating sides and the US team to the talks.

The participants in the meeting reviewed works of the four committees which were established in the beginning of the round. They are the border demarcation committee, the equal security arrangements committee, the ordinary peace relations committee and the waters committee. They also reviewed means of reactivating works of these committee after, simultaneously, after Eid al-Fitr vacation.

During the meeting the US President presented a US draft work paper that the two sides have to decide upon for helping them to settle arising differences and to proceed forward in the works of the four committees and to resume their work after the Eid 'a vacation.

At 10: 15 a.m. ( US local times) Friday, the US President arrived in Shepherds town to convene a tripartite meeting with both al-Sharaa and Barak in order to give the current peace talks a push forward.

Before taking his helicopter for Shepherds town, the headquarters of the talks, President Clinton said that the Syrian-Israeli talks are very difficult, but all sides are working seriously.

President Clinton added that his role lies in bringing together the foreign minister al-Sharaa and the Israeli prime minister Ehud Barak and to urge them to always look forward to the final objective.

Reuters quoted Clinton as saying that he can not decide how long the Israeli -Syrian talks will take but he explained the two sides are working seriously to find out means for settling arising disputes.

Earlier President Clinton met with the foreign minister on Thursday at 8:30 p.m. ( US time). The meeting was attended by Mrs. Albright and the US delegation taking part in the talks. It was also attended by Lt. Gen.

Youssef Shakkour, Majid Abu Saleh and Dr. Riyadh al-Dawoudi.

During the meeting, revision was made for the achievements of the second round of peace talks and means of eliminating hindering obstacles which prevent progress in the work of the four committees, simultaneously.

This was, however, the third meeting held between the US President and foreign minister al-Sharaa since the beginning of the second round in January 3. A matter which reflects the seriousness of the US administration and its care to provide a success for this round.

For his part al-Sharaa stressed Syria's commitment for the success of these talks so as to restore rights back and achieving a just and comprehensive peace in the region.

Previous Stories:
  Clinton intervenes for third time in fourth day of Syrian-Israeli negotiations   (1/7/2000)
  Clinton confers with al-Sharaa, Barak   (1/7/2000)
  Israeli- Syrian committees on border demarcation, security and waters   (1/6/2000)

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