Syrian Israeli four committees meet
Syria-Israel, Politics, 1/10/2000

The four committees covering border demarcation, equal security measures, normal peaceful relations and water between Syria and Israel resumed their meetings on Sunday in Shepherdstown, West Virginia simultaneously.

On Sunday evening, the border demarcation committee held a meeting in the presence of the US sponsor.

It was expected that some committees will continue deliberations in sessions held in the evening.

SANA's reporter was told that US President Bill Clinton was due to give a dinner. Syrian Foreign Minister Farouk al-Sharaa, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak and a number of Syrian, Israeli and American delegation members were invited.

At 9.30 a.m. (Washington local time), the water committee held a meeting in the presence of the US sponsor. At 11.00 a.m., the normal peaceful relations and equal security arrangements committees held a meeting. The border demarcation committee met at 1.30 p.m.

SANA's reporter was also told that US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright met with Foreign Minister al-Sharaa to discuss the work of the four committees. President Clinton was due to return to Shepherdstown on Sunday evening where he was due to hold a tripartite meeting with al-Sharaa and Barak in order to listen to the two sides' replies to the working document President Clinton had submitted during his meeting with them on Friday.

Meanwhile, Albright said on Sunday that the Syrian-Israeli talks are moving ahead.

AFP reported that Albright had informed correspondents and journalists on this during a morning tour she made with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak to the site of a battle that took place during the civil war in the state of Maryland.

Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak, in telephone calls from the US during the past two days, informed King Abdullah of Jordan, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and Palestinian President Yasser Arafat on the progress made in the talks. Barak also made similar phone calls with the ministers of the One Israel bloc for the same purpose.

In this respect, PLO executive committee member Zakaraya al-Agha has stressed the Palestinian backing for the peace negotiations on the Syrian track and the return of the Golan as a whole to Syrian sovereignty.

In an interview with Sawt al-Arab radio on Sunday, al-Agha called for giving a push forward to negotiations on the Syrian track according to UN resolution 242.

He stated that the Palestinian side calls on the US administration to pressure Israel to implement agreements it had signed with the Palestinian Authority.

Previous Stories:
  Clinton intervenes for third time in fourth day of Syrian-Israeli negotiations   (1/7/2000)
  Rubin denies talks on disarming Hizbullah party   (1/7/2000)
  Israel deliberately obstructs border committee's work   (1/7/2000)

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