Al-Sharaa to hold important talks in Riyadh

An official source announced at the Saudi Foreign Ministry in Riyadh on Wednesday that "important talks" will be held in the middle of this month in Riyadh between Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal and Syrian Foreign Minister Farouk al-Sharaa concerning peace negotiations between Syria and Israel.

The Saudi official said that talks between the two foreign ministers will be held on the sidelines of meetings of the joint Syrian- Saudi committee held under the chairmanship of the two foreign ministers on February 15 and 16.

The source remarked that Saudi Arabia is at the present making "intensive" contacts with the US administration to urge it toward "practicing pressures on Israel so as to resume negotiations with Damascus according to Madrid conference terms of reference and in line with the land-for-peace formula."