Barak preparing for negotiations with Syria

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak appointed a former head of the Israeli intelligence to head the Israeli negoting delegation with Syria.

This authorization coincides with the statements of Syrian President Hafez al-Assad on the importance of reaching a peace treaty with Israel.

Israeli sources said today that Barak appointed a special counselor for him and head of the negotiation delegation with Syria, Uri Saguy, who was a member of the negotiating delegation with Syria at the time of former Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin.

The new Israeli official met with Syrian Chief of Staff Heshmat El-Thani and Syria's ambassador in the USA, Walid al-Muallem during the eralier negotiations.