Sharon and negotiations with Syria

Israeli Foreign Minister Ariel Sharon said that he "personally" rejects any withdrawal from the Golan.

In an interview with Israel Radio on Friday, Sharon added that he explained in his address at Stuttgart conference on Thursday that the "Syrian, Lebanese and Palestinians are just wasting their time when they abstain from making negotiations with Israel before the Israeli elections."

He added that there should be a return to the negotiating table with the Syrians without set preconditions so the two sides can debate their demands during bilateral negotiations.

The radio report added that during Thursday's Stuttgart meetings, statements were exchanged between Sharon and Syrian Foreign Minister Farouk al-Sharaa. The radio added that al-Sharaa asked to comment on Sharon's statements and that al-Sharaa said Syria is ready to resume negotiations from the point at which they broke off and without giving up certain achievements concluded in the negotiations between the two sides three years earlier.

Al-Sharaa considered that Israel's resuming of bilateral negotiations without set preconditions is in itself a precondition. Al-Sharaa added, the radio said, that 57% of the negotiation process between Israel and Syria was completed and that Syria has been waiting for three years for Israel to resume negotiations with Syria from the point at which they broke off.

Al-Sharaa continued that elections in Israel have no role in the Syrian considerations. He accused Israel of seeking to destroy what had been reached during the negotiations.