Syria refutes Israeli allegations on promise of withdrawal from Golan
Syria-Israel, Politics, 10/4/1999

Syria's permanent representative to the UN, Mikhael Wahba, made on Friday evening a statement before the 54th session of the UN General Assembly in which he replied to claims stated by the Israeli representative to the UN, Dore Gold, in which the latter denied that there was any deposit to be delivered to the US saying that Israel to have had promised to withdraw to the June 4, 1967 border lines.

In his presentation at the UN, the Syrian representative refuted the claims made by the Israeli representative, who also used to be an advisor to former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The following are the four points included in the Syrian reply to the Israeli allegations presented by Wahba.

"First: It is not the first time we hear, together, from this forum Israeli representative's anti peace statements that are based on deforming facts and attempts to mislead the international community.

The statement made by the Israeli representative on Thursday (September 30) reflects the policy pursued by the former Israeli government of Netanyahu. A policy, which will, hopefully, not be pursued by the new government.

Second: The denial of the Israeli representative of the deposit which Rabin conveyed to Syria in July 1994 via the US, the main Middle East peace process cosponsor, reveals either the "ignorance" of the Israeli representative of the existence of that deposit or his deliberate denial of it on the basis of his anti-peace stand, the peace which is based on UN Security Council resolutions, the land-for-peace formula and the principles of "complete withdrawal for comprehensive peace."

Third: What concerns us of this reply is not only to refute the statement of the Israeli representative at the UN but first, and above all, to acquaint the international community, which supports the realization of a just and comprehensive peace in the Middle East, with what had taken place on the Syrian track during the peace talks during former Israeli Premier Rabin's rule. At that time, the US secretary of state told Syria in July 1994 that Rabin agreed to withdraw from the Golan to the June 4, 1967 border lines."

Wahba said Syrian President Hafez al-Assad asked the US secretary of state two questions in order to make sure that the content of the Israeli commitment conveyed to Syria was precise and accurate. The first question was: Does Rabin mean the withdrawal from the Golan would include all territories which were under Syria's sovereignty in June 4, 1967 ? and the answer of the US secretary of state was "yes."

The second question asked by President al-Assad was: "Is there any Israeli claim to any piece of land that situated within the June 4, 1967 line?" The answer of the US Secretary of State was, "There is no such claim."

Fourth: What was started in the Syrian address read by its foreign minister, Farouk al-Sharaa, stressed that the "deposit does not, by itself constitute a peace agreement, rather it is a fundamental part of an agreement which we call for the completion of its remaining elements which is related to ordinary peace, full relations and security arrangements on the basis of principles and objectives reached under the auspices and with the participation of the US."

Al-Sharaa also continued, "Syria is anxious that this opportunity should not be missed. If it was to be missed, Israel, alone, should be blamed for that."

Previous Stories:
  The US and the Syrian track   (9/30/1999)
  Barak: Peace with Syria requires concessions   (9/29/1999)
  Damascus Radio criticizes Barak's attempts to find new formula for resuming negotiations   (9/29/1999)

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