Chairman of Israeli negotiating team with Syria secretly tours water resources on the Golan

Well-informed sources said that reserve Gen. Uri Saguy, the chairman of the negotiations team with Syria on December 26 held a secret tour of the area where there are water sources on the Syrian- Israeli borders and along the borders between the two sides drawn in 1983 by Israel.

The al-Quds daily issued in the occupied Arab territories said on Tuesday, quoting the Israeli daily Maariv, that several members of the Israeli negotiating team accompanied Saguy in this tour, adding that among them was the chairman of the waters committee.

The paper added that this visit was held in complete secrecy, just one week before the Israeli negotiating team is to head for Washington to take part in the second round of negotiations.

The office of the Israeli prime minister refused to comment on this news, but Israeli political sources told al-Quds paper that this tour is part of the Israeli preparations for deliberations with the Syrians on the issues of dams and waters. According to the sources, border issues will be discussed in the forthcoming round.