US seeks Syrian views on peace

Sources at the Syrian foreign ministry told the Kuwaiti daily al-Anbaa that the telephone call President Bashar al-Assad received from his American counterpart George Bush reflects the desire of the new American administration of knowing the Syrian position towards the peace process and exploring latest developments to this end on the wake of the visit of the Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon to Washington.

The sources added that Bush seeks to further know about prospects of the next American moves through direct contacts with the leaderships of countries concerned with the negotiations after canceling the post of the US envoy to the Middle East, noting that diplomatic contacts concerning peace will take a new mechanism that is being under study by the US state department.

The sources stressed that this telephone call ( between President Bashar and President Bush) had paved the way for President Bush to be acquainted with the details of the Syrian position and the vision of the Syrian leadership towards what the Israeli government proposes of deceiving ideas that might destroy the peace process.

The sources linked between this telephone call and the current preparations to convene the Arab summit, noting that the US wants " a sort of calmness" ( meaning the US does not want strong decision towards Israel).

The sources indicated that this telephone call and the interest the new Syrian ambassador received in Washington all reflect that a chain will be formed inside the Syrian- US relations.