France and Middle East peace
Syria-Israel, Politics, 9/23/1999

Sources at the French presidential palace have denied that the French President Jacque Chirac will contact Syrian President Hafez al-Assad during his meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak.

Israel Radio said Chirac is eager to have information from Barak on Israel's stand concerning the possibility of resuming negotiations on the Syrian - Israeli track, especially as viewpoints between Syria and Israel on the point where negotiations stopped under Israel's late Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin seem quite different.

Israel Radio added that Chirac will brief Barak on the content of the message he received from President al-Assad, conveyed by Syrian Foreign Minister Farouk al-Sharaa.

Israel Radio also quoted a source at the French presidency as saying on Wednesday that France will not try to force Syria and Israel to accept a mediation mission France has proposed, but it is rather ready to participate in the dialogue between the two countries in case they do agree.

The radio report added that this French announcement was made prior to Barak's arrival in the French capital, coming from Berlin.

Meanwhile, the Israeli daily Maariv said on the visit of Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak to France that Israel expects Syrian Foreign Minister Farouk al-Sharaa to have carried with him new ideas that would be the basis for resuming negotiations between Syria and Israel, which will Barak listen to from the French president.

The BBC quoted the paper as saying that Barak will not permit Europe to replace the US in the Middle East peace process and will limit Europe's role to just conveying messages.

The BBC's correspondent in Paris said that Chirac will try to receive guarantees from Israel encouraging Syria to resume Syrian - Israeli negotiations.

Previous Stories:
  Israel: Israeli- Syrian negotiations to resume in October in Washington   (9/22/1999)
  People of the Golan protest Israeli measures   (9/21/1999)
  Barak gives priority to the Syrian track   (9/20/1999)

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