New Syrian government

The London-based al-Sharq al-Awsat daily quoted unidentified sources as expecting that a new government will be announced in Damascus under the chairmanship of the Foreign minister Farouk al-Sharaa who will also keep his previous post as a foreign minister so as to cope with the new position of negotiations al-Sharaa is launching with the Israeli prime minister Ehud Barak.

The sources added that the negotiations which will be renewed in Washington after 14 days necessitates al-Sharaa to have the post of the prime minister in Syria due to the importance of the second phase of negotiations which "protocols" makes it necessary to continue intensively on the same level between the Israelis and the Syrians.

The sources expected al-Sharaa to keep vast authorities on the external level that would authorize him to take certain decisions that helps him to negotiate.

The same sources also expected that announcement will be made on appointing Bashar al-Assad in a high ranking post.