Syrian ambassador in Washington denies statement broadcast by Israeli radio

Israel Radio broadcast on Thursday what it said it was a statement by the Syrian ambassador in Washington, Walid al-Mu'allim in which he stressed his country's readiness to rapidly resume peace negotiations with Israel.

In a telephone conversation with the Lebanese Arabic daily al-Nahar, al-Mu'allim categorically denied that he had made any statement to Israel Radio. He said what was broadcast by Israel Radio were excerpts from a lecture he delivered on Wednesday at the Palestinian Studies Institute in Washington led by Dr. Hisham Sharabi.

The paper expected that the source of the "statement" is a US document publication house, the Federal Document Clearing House.

Israel Radio said on Thursday that the Syrian ambassador in Washington, Walid al-Mu'allim, said that any government that will be formed in Israel has to decide "whether it is concerned with having peace with Syria and Lebanon."

Al-Mu'allim added, "If such a decision is taken by the Israeli government, it will, then, find Syria ready for a rapid settlement on the grounds of land-for-peace.

The Syrian ambassador's statements came in reply to a question put by the correspondent of Israel Radio in Washington. He added that Syria is ready to resume talks with Israel at any time from the point at which they broke off.

He added that the draft laws taken by Israel concerning the Golan and Jerusalem belittle the possibilities of reaching peace.