Al-Shara confers with Albright
Syria-USA, Politics, 6/8/2000

A round of talks was held on Wednesday in Cairo between the Foreign Minister Farouk al-Shara and the US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright.

Representing the Syrian side, the meeting was attended by the deputy foreign minister Suleiman Haddad, the chairman of the Syrian mission in Cairo Majid Abu Saleh and the director of the foreign minister's office Samir al-Qasir.

On the US side, the meeting was attended by the US ME peace process coordinator Dennis Ross, the US under secretary of State and the US ambassador in Damascus Rayan Crocker.

Following the meeting al-Shara made statements to the press in which he described the talks he held with Albright as " positive and constructive." He added that this meeting with Albright eliminated a losts of the misunderstandings that happened during the few past months, especially concerning the Geneva summit between President Hafez al-Assad and US President Bill Clinton.

The Syrian foreign minister said "I felt there is an attempt from the American side to correct matters that eliminate this understanding." He added that Syria welcomes this US correction.

He made it clear that it was agreed to resume contacts intensively and to exchange views. He said the US still believes there is a chance to achieve a just and comprehensive peace in the region before the end of President Clinton's terms of office.

Answering a question on the possibility of resuming peace talks on the Syrian track, the foreign minister said "from the US point of view there is a chance which is still valid to resuming negotiations on the Syrian track and the US President Bill Clinton will follow up this process with interest until the end of his post of office in January next year." Al-Shara said Syria does not oppose this American view.

The Syrian foreign minister continued that he had explained to Albright and the American side that "Syria does not believe in playing one track against the others, does not accept nor encourage that, noting that if there is one who wants to play the game of tracks on the Syrian side, Syria would definitely not take part in it." He explained " If the Palestinian side meets Israeli and American sides ten times, this causes no problems to Syria."

Al-Shara stressed that Syria will never give up her rights completely, namely Israel's full withdrawal to June 4, 1967 border lines and the restoration of the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people. He said Syria is part of the steadfastness manifested in its best means in South Lebanon.

Previous Stories:
  Al-Shara meets Albright   (6/7/2000)
  Al-Shara: Israel has the strongest military arsenal in the region   (6/7/2000)
  Al-Shehabi left for the US   (6/7/2000)

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