Report: Jordanian mediation for Syrian - Israeli summit
Regional, Politics, 7/15/1999

The Lebanese daily al-Beiraq said that the meetings held by the chief of the Jordanian royal court, Abdul Karim al-Kabareiti, in Damascus have provoked reports of a Jordanian mediation carried out by King Abdullah to convene a Syrian - Israeli summit.

The paper added that Washington's news on views for officials in the White House say that Barak "is actually determined to achieve peace in the region based on the Syrian track," and that President Clinton is "seeking to have a summit meeting with President Hafez al-Assad very soon."

The Lebanese paper added that these news and views are mere personal expectations, but these, according to diplomatic sources in Beirut, do not prevent the convening of a summit between al-Assad and Clinton despite the fact that Damascus has ruled out that the aim of al-Kabareiti's visit to Damascus was to maintain a mediation between Syria and Israel.

Al-Beiraq added that Damascus sources ruled out President al-Assad meeting with Israeli officials before the Israelis announce through Barak their readiness to fully withdraw from south Lebanon and the Golan Heights.

The paper added that Washington is trying to arrange a five-member summit including Clinton, Mubarak, King Abdullah, Arafat and Barak in order to draw the mechanism for the negotiations on all negotiation tracks that Lebanon and Syria will be content with.

Well-informed diplomatic sources in Cairo disclosed contacts currently being made by Washington in coordination with several states in the region on making preparations for the five-member summit, which is expected to be held in Washington in August.

The sources said the visit Barak is making to Washington will result in indications guaranteeing getting into the peace process, this time, without obstacles. The sources continued that this will be followed by a tour by US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright to the region combined with American assurances that Albright's tour will include Damascus, as the US administration thinks of taking tangible steps toward preparing the atmosphers for Syrian-Israeli meetings similar to those of Madrid, as well as to provide these meetings a success through maintaining withdrawals and agreements to maintain other withdrawals from the Golan, determining the advanced warning stations and putting them under UN supervision stationed at equal distances from both the Syrian and Israeli borders.

The sources continued that if these meetings succeed it would be then pave the way for convening a Syrian-Israeli summit between al-Assad and Barak.

The Lebanese daily added that signals arriving from Washington, are promising so far and meet with the satisfaction of officials in the region, especially after the two sides released reciprocated signals following Barak's taking office in Israel.

Previous Stories:
  Coordination between Amman and Damascus on eve of Jordanian - Israeli summit   (7/12/1999)
  Report: Mubarak to convey verbal message to President al-Assad   (7/12/1999)
  On Barak's commitment to withdraw from south Lebanon   (7/10/1999)
  On Israel's withdrawal from the Golan   (7/6/1999)

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