Next Israeli-Syrian negotiations to be held within less two weeks
Syria-Israel, Politics, 1/24/2000

Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Nawaf Masalha has stated that the next round of Israeli- Syrian negotiations will be held within less than two weeks in the US, noting the attempt made by the US to heal differences in viewpoints.

In an interview with Sawt al-Arab radio on Saturday, Masalha added that the main reason for postponing the third round of negotiations is the Syrian demand for a written Israeli commitment to be undersigned by Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak that provides for withdrawal to the June 4, 1967 border lines.

Masalha indicated that the points of disagreement are well-known and that what is asked by the Israeli side of withdrawal to the international borders of 1923 and the Syrians to 1967 borders have only a difference of several kilometers. "But this means that Israel has recognized the Golan and it has to be returned back." He indicated that another point of difference relates to the military areas or the military free areas, saying, "Viewpoints in this regard are not so far apart, because Syria refuses to have Israeli soldiers there, but in principle it agreed to UN observers led by the US in order to keep peace, and these are very important points and other matters including the water and its sources, and trade and tourism relations will come later."

As for the Lebanese track, Masalha said there is a Lebanese - Syrian coordination, saying that Israel wants direct talks on the withdrawal of its army from south Lebanon, but it is evident that the agreement with Lebanon will be within the agreement with Syria in two separate agreements as two independent states Syria and Lebanon. He asserted, "I am sure that the progress on the Syria track will be followed by a progress on the Lebanese track because differences between Syria and Israel are much less than those between Israel and Lebanon."

He added that the US mediation efforts between Israel and Syria are enough and will be a success, saying that the US president will crown the end of his term office at the White House with a complete and comprehensive peace in the Middle East.

Previous Stories:
  Israeli paper and the Syrian track   (1/20/2000)
  Israeli intelligence and a new map for the Golan   (1/19/2000)
  Israel to make amendment to end current crisis with Syria   (1/19/2000)

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