American project on Middle East peace
Syria-Israel-France, Politics, 3/15/2000

The London-based al-Sharq al-Awasat daily said on Tuesday that Damascus, according to French sources, is currently studying a project recently completed by the US to settle the Syrian- Israeli negotiation crisis.

The paper added in a report to its correspondent in Paris that the project calls for resuming the negotiations in Washington under US supervision, and this is not to exceed the end of next May. The US is to guarantee the implementation of Israel's withdrawal to the June 4, 1967 border lines, and the US, only, to observe and monitor the withdrawals and the new military lines by warning systems belonging to the US and not to Israel.

The paper added in its report that to reassure the Syrians over this matter, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak announced his readiness to withdraw the Israeli warning systems from Jabal al-Sheikh.

The paper continued that the project also states Israel's withdrawal from south Lebanon and the western Bekaa to behind the June 4, 1967 border lines.

The American project also cals for re-demarcation of borders between Syria and Israel in line of what the two sides agree upon. And necessary basics are drawn to establish natural relations between Syria and Israel and Lebanon and Israel, including diplomatic relations with Lebanon, first and exchanging the opening of embassies and trade and economic relations and complete cultural and social openness.

According to the US project and with the support of the US and Russia a study is to be made on the distribution of the waters of the Golan, Tabaraya and al-Hemmah in a way that benefits from these waters are no longer limited to Syria and Israel alone. This process will be followed up by a US, European and Arab workshop in order to develop the whole area.

According to the French sources, the American project is still under a comprehensive study in Syria which views it with reservations on the grounds that this project does not meet all its demands, despite the fact that it meets the main demand which is recognition of Rabin's deposit and readiness for complete withdrawal from the Golan.

Previous Stories:
  On Syrian- Israeli peace talks   (3/14/2000)
  Israeli proposals to withdraw from the Golan   (3/13/2000)
  Israeli officials and withdrawal from Syria and Lebanon   (3/13/2000)

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