Report: Saudi mediation to bring together Syrian-US views

The London-based al-Sharq al-Awsat daily issued on Friday said that at a time when preparations are underway to convene the Geneva summit on Sunday between Syrian President Hafez al-Assad and US President Bill Clinton, diplomatic sources told this paper that a Saudi envoy has visited Syria during the past period in secret with the objective of bringing viewpoints together between Syria and the US.

The paper added that the Saudi envoy met with President al-Assad and then conveyed the Syrian viewpoint to President Clinton.

The sources said the Saudi government has sought carefully, at the wish of Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah, to convince Washington to intervene with Israel in order to accept the Syrian demands, especially withdrawal to the June 4, 1967 border line.

Following the Saudi efforts, atmospheres have become prepared for the Syrian-US summit in order to achieve peace, at a time when Washington was surprised by the hesitant and contradictory Israeli statements recently.