Syrian source: Israel proposed secret, unconditional negotiations and we refuse
Syria-Israel, Politics, 3/7/2001

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has announced Syria's rejection to an Israeli offer to resuming negotiations with it secretly, without preset conditions, stressing that resuming negotiations will be only made according to the Madrid conference terms of reference.

A well- informed Syrian source who is close to the atmosphere of the meeting held on March 4 between President Bashar al-Assad and the EU- ME peace process special envoy Miguel Moratinos said that President al-Assad refused during his meeting with Moratinos an Israeli offer from the Prime minister Ariel Sharon, conveyed by the EU envoy, stating that Sharon is ready to resume negotiations with Syria without prior conditions. The Syrian President stressed that returning back to negotiations will be only made on the ground of the Madrid conference terms of reference, the land for peace formula and UN security council resolutions concerned.

The source said that President Bashar al- Assad has asserted that there will be no negotiations outside this framework.

The source continued that the Syrian President al- refused an Israeli offer to make secret negotiations with Israel and stressed that Syria has nothing to be ashamed of to accept secret negotiations, as far as Syria's position is unwavering and declared.

President al-Assad also stressed to Moratinos that Syria will not permit Sharon to repeat the Israeli policy in playing with the multi tracks and that Syria is committed to restoring back the full Arab rights on the three Palestinian, Lebanese and Syrian tracks.

On March 4, the spokesman for the Syrian presidential palace announced that President Bashar al-Assad received Moratinos in the presence of the foreign minister Farouk al-Shara.

In his statement, the spokesman said that talks during the meeting which was held at al-Shaab Palace dealt with latest development in the region, and bilateral relations between Syria and the EU and the need of revitalizing them for the service of joint interests.

On the other hand, and during his meeting with the Greek defense minister and members of the accompanying delegation the Syrian President stressed that peace will not be attainable in the Middle East unless international legitimacy resolutions and Madrid's terms of reference are implemented.

Previous Stories:
  Syrian source and the Israeli warning   (3/1/2001)
  Israeli expert statements on Syria   (2/28/2001)
  Beshara stops organizing visits of Palestinians of 1948 to their relatives in Syria   (2/22/2001)

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