A dialogue between Syria, the UN in Damascus, mid June
Syria-USA, Politics, 5/3/2002

The London- based al-Hayat daily said Wednesday in a report by its correspondent in Damascus quoting western diplomatic sources as saying that UN officials have recently made contacts with the Syrian foreign ministry in the context of the arrangements made to initiate a dialogue between the two sides on "peace prospects" in Damascus in the mid of next June. This dialogue will be in light of President Bashar al-Assad's approval to launch such a dialogue during his meeting with the UN special envoy Terry Rod Larsen in Damascus last week.

The sources explained to al-Hayat that the idea of the workshop which was debated during the meeting between President Bashar al-Assad and the secretary general of the UN Kofi Annan last week and was strengthened with the existence of an American decision to give a greater role for the UN reflected in issuing several UN resolutions concerning the Palestinian issue.

The sources said that one of the options was an invitation by Annan and the Spanish King Juan Carlos of 60 Palestinians, Israeli, Syria and international figures to convene a conference in Spain to be split to five working groups in charge of discussing the files of Jerusalem, the borders, settlements, the security and refugees by the beginning of this month ( May) but the Israeli invasion of the Palestinian territories postponed this option.

The sources continued that the UN has several perceptions to organize the workshop and one of them is that the Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and Annan will open it with the possibility of inviting the representatives of the UN five permanent members at the UN Security Council, the representatives of the foreign affairs at the EU commission Javier Solana and the US peace special envoy William Burns.

The sources said that discussions with the Syrian side are continuous to reach a final formula so as a serious discussion will be made on the prospects of peace in the Middle East in the political, security and economic areas.

In case the workshop with Syria will be a success, the UN intends to arrange a similar seminar with Israel.

The sources said that as far as there are more differences in view points and disagreements in stances, there would be a necessity for the dialogue.

Al-Hayat said that by the end of this month ( May), the Baker Institute for Public Policies in the US city of Houston, chaired by former US under secretary of state Edward Djirjian, will hold the first seminar of its kind for dialogue between Syria and the US on issues like terrorism and peace.

Previous Stories:
  Syrian boycott campaign of American merchandise   (4/30/2002)
  A new Middle East peace conference   (4/29/2002)
  Al-Assad receives Powell, calls on the US for a clear peace vision   (4/16/2002)
  Powell in Damascus   (4/15/2002)

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