Syrian sources: Israel is to return to June 4 border line

A high-ranking Syrian source has asserted that Syria will not sign an agreement of principles with Israel similar to the statement of principles Israel signed with the Palestinians and that Syria will not accept less than the return to the June 4, 1967 border line.

The Gulf News Agency quoted the Syrian source as saying in a statement to the Bahraini daily al-Ayam on Thursday when the Israeli daily Haaretz published what it described as the actual draft of a peace treaty between Syria and Israel, that Syria will sign a comprehensive agreement rather than a statement of principles, on the steps of the Palestinian- Israeli statement of principles whose every article needs an agreement.

The Syrian source added, "We seek to sign a comprehensive agreement and the executive committees, will later on implement the agreement according to the agreed-upon stages."

Concerning the border of withdrawal and the security arrangements, the Syrian source stressed that security arrangements are not a problem if Israel agrees to return to the June 4, 1967 border line.

According to Syrian experts and analysts who spoke to al-Ayam, the third round of negotiations on January 19 will decide the possibility of making a peace agreement between the two countries, adding that this round will be decisive.