US tries to prevent collapse of Syrian- Israeli negotiations
Syria-Israel-USA, Politics, 1/21/2000

Well-informed sources at the US State Department said that the US administration tries to prevent the total collapse of negotiations between Syria and Israel because Damascus is convinced that suspending the negotiations for a period exceeding several days will greatly damage the chances to achieve progress in this regard.

A high-ranking US official directly involved in the Syrian-Israeli negotiations said that the experts will not negotiate directly with each other, but only with US Middle East peace process coordinator Dennis Ross.

The US official stated that Washington does not blame any side for not resuming the negotiations, adding that the US government views the current differences as procedural rather than substantial.

Meanwhile, the correspondent of the Monte Carlo radio in Damascus quoted well-informed sources in Syria as saying that Syria is in favor of good preparation for the forthcoming session resulting in achieving substantial progress, especially towards the border demarcation of June 4, 1967 lines.

The Syrian sources added that the Syrians will not convene rounds without results, saying that resuming negotiations from the point where they left off means that the question of the land had been already settled and that the Syrians are willing to progress forward, a matter which requires proving Israel's seriousness towards achieving a substantial progress.

Previous Stories:
  Israel feels releif toward US role   (1/14/2000)
  Monte Carlo report on Shepherdstown negotiations   (1/12/2000)
  On the tripartite meeting in Shepherdstown   (1/11/2000)

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