Egypt backs Syrian stance
Egypt-Syria, Politics, 6/10/2000

Egypt's Presidential Political Advisor Osama Al-Baz has reaffirmed Egypt's full support to the Syrian "justified and legitimate" stance and warned Israel against manipulating the game of peace tracks.

"The Syrian track is an important one," he told the daily television program Good Morning Egypt on Thursday.

"The visit by US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright to the region came at a crucial time, especially after Israel's withdrawal from Lebanon," he said.

"Israelis, and even some American circles, thought that the Israeli withdrawal from South Lebanon would be obstructed and that Lebanon was a bargaining game, Israel planned to use at the Syrian-Israeli negotiations," he added.

"It was a miscalculation because Syria did not complicate the Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon at all, but to the contrary, it helped its completion and said it welcomed any Israeli withdrawal from Arab lands," he expounded.

"The Lebanese people were united in calling for Israel's pullout and they all left behind their internal differences," he further added.

Lauding the Lebanese resistance, he said it forced Israel to respect Lebanon's sovereignty.

"The Palestinian-Israeli peace track must be activated as its freeze would ring about severe repercussions," Baz said.

He also called for the revival of the Syrian track or at least "keeping it alive."

"The American Administration is keen on a peace accomplishment before US President Bill Clinton leaves office early next year," he added.

"Clinton wants to conclude his political career with a major achievement for peace in the Middle East, a very vital region to the US," he said.

"Thus, it was necessary for Albright to come to the region to learn firsthand about the situation on the Palestinian and Syrian tracks," he added.

"An inactive Syrian negotiating track is not in Israel's favor, noting that Syria is a major Arab country and its military, political, moral and national aspects are to be taken into account," he said.

Washington was wrong to state after the March Geneva Summit that the ball is now in Syria's Court," he added.

"In fact, Syria calls for the application of UNSC Resolutions 242 and 338 and the 1991 Madrid terms of reference, while Israel deviates from these principles," he said.

Turning to the Shebaa Farms, Baz said they do not constitute any contention between Syrians and Lebanese because in the final analysis, the farms are Arab lands.

"Syria did not raise any problem concerning Shebaa, an issue upon which there can be a lot of give-and-take," he said, adding that Israel's withdrawal from South Lebanon has not weakened the Syrian stance at all.

Regarding the Israeli Knesset's preliminary approval Wednesday for early elections, the Egyptian official said it does not mean the downfall of Prime Minister Ehud Barak, because even if his government falls, he would need 80 out of 120 votes to step down, which is unlikely to happen.

"Israel's internal stability is important for its security," he added.

Previous Stories:
  Al-Assad message to Mubarak conveyed by al-Shara   (6/6/2000)
  Albright visits Cairo on Wednesday   (6/5/2000)
  Mubarak, Assad discuss progress of talks on peace tracks   (5/9/2000)

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