Mordechai and peace with Syria

Former Israeli Defense Minister Yitzhak Mordechai said that "any possible change in the Lebanese arena concerning war in south Lebanon stems from resuming direct negotiations with Syria."

He expressed his conviction that the forthcoming government in Israel will give a pivotal importance to the Syrian peace track.

In statements he made during a farewell party transmitted by Israeli Radio, Mordechai added, "We have to convince the Syrian side that continuing war in Lebanon does not serve the Syrian interests."

On the other hand, Mordechai stressed that peace with Egypt and Jordan has strategic importance and that he exerted his "best efforts to strengthen this peace."

Mordechai was dismissed from his post as Israel's defense minister over the weekend, and he assumed a leadership position with the new Israeli centrist Party, which also includes former Israeli Chief of Staff Amnon Shahak.

Sources close to the centrist party said the party has completed drawing up its basic principles in which it will support to reaching a solution with the Syrians on the Golan Heights and continue working with the Oslo and Wye agreements.

Israeli radio quoted these sources as saying there are disputes among members of the party on the item concerning the Golan and that it is not clear whether reaching a regional middle solution in the Golan Heights will appear in the program of the party.