On the Syrian -Israeli track
Syria-Israel-France, Politics, 4/19/2000

Well-informed French sources told the Kuwaiti daily al-Qabas in statements issued on Tuesday in Kuwait that the "increasing Israeli sayings about the dangers of confrontation with Syria might be for local consumption, rather than being messages addressed to Damascus."

The sources indicated that statements made by Col. Bashar al-Assad, son of Syrian President Hafezz al-Assad, which did not close off the door on negotiations with Israel meet with statements by Israeli Foreign Minister David Levy to his French counterpart Hubert Vedrine on Monday that the Israeli and Syrian stances are still apart but this "situation might change at any time."

The sources indicated that the flexibility shown by Levy towards Israel's withdrawal from south Lebanon to the international borders is another indicator that the door of Syrian-Israeli negotiations is still slightly open if not wide open.

The Kuwaiti daily added that observers in the French capital focus on the assertion made by the French foreign minister that his country will be in close contact with all sides concerned and that France is ready to take part in the security arrangements in case an agreement is reached. The paper also indicated the assertion made by Vedrine that if Israel unilaterally withdraws from south Lebanon, then this issue will be the specialty of the UN Security Council.

The Kuwaiti paper added that the coming weeks will show whether the Israeli flexibility is a trap planted for the UN or a parallel to similar signals to Syrian officials coupled with knocking the drums of war against them (the Syrians).

Previous Stories:
  Le Monde and the failure of Geneva summit   (4/17/2000)
  Bashar al-Assad talks about Middle East peace   (4/17/2000)
  Israel and the lake of Tabaraya   (3/25/2000)

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