Following talks with Barak, Albright says progress is made on Syrian track
US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak on Wednesday held a joint press conference in which they spoke about the results of the meeting they had in the morning.
Following their meetings, Albright said: "I think it's fair to say that we made good progress toward meeting our objective."
Albright renewed the US commitment to Israel's security and said this commitment will not change in the future.
Albright went: "I left Damascus more optimistic than when I arrived and, following my meeting today with the Prime Minister, I think it's fair to say that we made good progress toward meeting our objective."
For his part, Barak said: "We have so many other things to do other than to be deployed for another generation or two along the borders and bury our youngsters, and let the other bury theirs. So it's time to make decisions."
Barak continued that he discussed with Albright views on the peace process on all tracks and that the discussions brought about progress.
"I hope that we will find ourselves closer to a peace agreement as a result of the Secretary's visit to the region," Barak said.
He continued that he and members of his government are "determined to live up to our commitment to the Israeli people and to the Israeli electorate and to live up to the mandate we get from the people of Israel to strengthen Israel through a determined attempt to put an end to the conflict between us and our neighbors and we are keeping stable on this target and this objective."
Replying to a question on Israeli withdrawal from the occupied Golan, Barak said: "I am realistic enough to know that painful compromises will be needed in order to achieve peace in every single track but, I am confident, that living in the Middle East, Israel being what it is, the best way for Israel to strengthen itself is to find a way to make peace with our neighbors without violating any of our vital security interests. "
Concerning the Palestinian track, Barak expressed his confidence that differences with the Palestinians would be ended within a few days.