On Clinton's document
Syria-Israel-USA, Politics, 1/11/2000

The Kuwaiti daily al-Rai al-Am quoted high-ranking US sources as saying that the document presented by US President Bill Clinton at Shepherdstown which was welcomed both by Syria and Israel represents the preliminary draft for a peace agreement between the two countries.

In its Monday issue, the paper added that according to the sources, the document reveals Israel's approval of a complete withdrawal from the Golan with very slight border amendments.

Concerning normalization, the document states the readiness of both Syria and Israel to establish full diplomatic relations together with normalization relations including 12 areas already approved in previous rounds of talks. They are the establishment of full diplomatic relations with Israel, opening a telephone line, a Post office services and several agreements on joint cooperation, including trade, tourism, aviation, communications, investment and banking agreements.

The sources indicated that there is a conviction prevailing in Washington that in the next round of talks there will be the possibility of reaching a "core" agreement, as advocated by Barak.

The Kuwaiti paper quoted the US president as saying in a closed-door meeting with his aides that his aim is to achieve a peace agreement between Syria and Israel by the middle of next May.

Meanwhile, the paper quoted an Israeli source close to Prime Minister Ehud Barak as saying that the Israeli delegation is pleased over the US document because topics have already become clear and there is no need to reconsider them in every meeting.

The Israeli source added that US official sources expressed their conviction that the cost for ending the conflict with Israel and its neighbors will reach US $100 billion. This sum includes settling the Palestinian refugees in the countries where they live and settling the water issue, adding that for this purpose the US is recruiting the European Union member states and Japan.

Previous Stories:
  Syrian-Israeli talks resumed on Sunday   (1/10/2000)
  Clinton intervenes for third time in fourth day of Syrian-Israeli negotiations   (1/7/2000)
  Clinton confers with al-Sharaa, Barak   (1/7/2000)

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