Al-Assad - Mubarak phone call review peace developments

Syrian President Hafez al-Assad on Friday evening received a telephone call from Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak where they discussed issues of mutual concern for the two states and the Middle East peace process developments.

Earlier in the day, President Mubarak arrived in Cairo following a one-week visit to the USA during which he met with US President Bill Clinton, his Vice President Al Gore and US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright.

Meantime, President Mubarak reiterated that President Hafez al-Assad will never give up any part of the Syrian territories, noting the need for Israel's complete withdrawal to the June 4, 1967 border lines.

In statements he made to chief editors of the Egyptian papers on Friday on board of the plane from the USA to Cairo, President Mubarak added: " I have confirmed this view to the US President Bill Clinton and I had previously confirmed it to the Israeli prime minister, Ehud Barak."

The Egyptian president continued that Barak's demands to expand Israel's control on the Sea of the Galilee ( Tiberias ) contradict with the facts that existed on June 4, 1967 when the Syrian forces were stationed directly at the coast of the lake. He warned against the negative reactions which will emerge if Israel makes a unilateral withdrawal from Lebanon without an agreement with Syria and Lebanon. He noted that there is no chance for cooperation between Lebanon and the pro-Israeli South Lebanese army.

The Egyptian President called on Israel to find out solutions to this problem and fully implement UN resolutions concerned.

President Mubarak also called for dismantling the Israeli nuclear weapons because this is necessary for the security of Israel and the region.

Mubarak indicated that the US President told him that contacts will continue with Syria and that President Clinton is optimistic about reaching positive results shortly to resume negotiations between Syria and israel.