Syrian official: We want Barak's reply, if he adopts Rabin's policy, or not

A high-ranking Syrian source told the Lebanese al-Nahar daily on Monday that Lebanon and the Lebanese national resistance has succeeded in dismantling the "Jezzine trap" and converting it into a victory.

The Syrian source added, commenting on the withdrawal of the Israeli-allied South Lebanon Army militia from Jezzine, that "Any step taken by Israel" is considered a "trap," as far as such a step "is not based on a comprehensive peace agreement."

He added that Israel will fail in the efforts it had exerted and will exert in order to dismember the Syrian and Lebanese tracks due to the determination of the two states to maintain continued coordination. The Syrian source stated that the general atmosphere of the Israeli Labor Party is "an inclination towards peace," hoping that Israel's understanding of peace is to be based on the Madrid terms of reference and what had been agreed upon with former Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, especially in maintaining withdrawal to June 6, 1967 border lines and the security arrangements' principles.

The source added that it is wise not to describe the Syrian case as "optimism, or pessimism," before the formation of the government of Israeli Prime Minister-elect Ehud Barak and Barak's announcement of the program of this government and answering the most important question on "whether he will pursue Rabin's policy or not."

The Syrian official asserted that "remarks" as such have not so far reached Syria. The Syrian source stated that the mini-Arab summit is not of concern to Syria because the, "Oslo agreements have exceeded every coordination that preceded it," in an indirect reference to not welcoming Palestinian President Yasser Arafat in Damascus.