Arafat and the Syrian track

Palestinian President Yasser Arafat has asserted that the Palestinian government has no fears that accelerating the Syrian track of the Middle East peace process will be at the expense of the Palestinian track.

On the Palestinian view on resuming negotiations on the Syrian track, Arafat said in a telephone interview carried out with the Saudi daily Okaz: "We, for our part, hope that Israel will implement UN resolutions 242 and 338 and return to the June 5, 1967 border line and all Arab states will regain their full rights and the Palestinian people restore their legitimate rights in establishing their own independent state with Jerusalem as a capital.

Arafat expressed his appreciation for the Arab role, especially the role played by Saudi Arabia and Egypt in backing the Syrian track and in providing for its success, as well as for backing the Palestinian track.

Meanwhile, the secretary of the executive committee of the PLO, Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen), has denied any Palestinian fears of a Syrian-Israeli agreement.

In a statement to the London-based al-Sharq al-Awsat (Middle East) daily issued on Saturday, Abbas said that peace will not be achieved between the Arabs and Israel except through finding a just solution for the cause of Palestine.

He stressed the need of Syrian- Palestinian coordination, adding, "We are ready to coordinate with Syria, and we extend our hands to our brothers in Syria."