Report: New US initiative on the Syrian track

The Lebanese paper al-Kifah al-Arabi said, according to a democratic figure at the US congress (who wanted to remain anonymous) who has strong link to the White House, that the "Tiberis complex" is on its way to have a solution, asserting that the main headlines of this solution will be explained to the Syrian and Israeli leaders.

In a report from Washington published in its Wednesday issue, the paper added that negotiations can be resumed immediately after reaching an understanding concerning the US project.

The paper added, according to the democrat figure, that the idea is based on the assumption that the water resources of the Golan and the surrounding areas from a water basin according to which water shares are to be distributed among the countries concerned and that what Israel might win from Tiberis will lose the same equal amount of waters from other water sources. The democrat figure said this solution eliminates Israel's fears that Syria's borders will be adjoining the coast of Tiberis, which also means withdrawal to the June 4, 1967 borders as demanded by Syria.

In this framework the US would have guaranteed the alleviation of the Turkish stubbornness in seizing the waters of the Euphrates, and therefore Syria will be given a surplus compensation of waters.

Al-Kifah al-Arabi paper said that the idea of the water basin will be discussed by US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright during her visit to the region. The visit will be held in due time, the paper stated.