Arabic News Weekly Edition for Syria, 1/17/2000
Weekly Edition, Syria - Week of January 17, 2000
- Al-Assad, his family visit Bassel's tomb Syria, People, 1/22/2000
- Report: Russia, US assert pressure on Damascus
The Kuwaiti daily al-Watan on Friday quoted well-informed sources in the Russian capital, Moscow, as saying that Moscow and Washington are increasing their pressure on Damascus to take part in the multilateral talks concerning the Middle East due to be held in Russia on February 1. Syria-Russia, Politics, 1/22/2000 - Forming a joint business council between Jordan and Syria
Preparations are currently being made in Amman and Damascus to form a joint business council between Jordan and Syria in implementation of the agreements signed in the framework of the joint high committee between the two states last year. Jordan-Syria, Economics, 1/22/2000 - Barak sends expert delegation to Washington
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak on Friday decided to send experts to Washington to present the US administration Israel's observations on the US working document connected to the Syrian-Israeli negotiations. Syria-Israel-USA, Politics, 1/22/2000 - US tries to prevent collapse of Syrian- Israeli negotiations
Well-informed sources at the US State Department said that the US administration tries to prevent the total collapse of negotiations between Syria and Israel because Damascus is convinced that suspending the negotiations for a period exceeding several days will greatly damage the chances to achieve progress in this regard. Syria-Israel-USA, Politics, 1/21/2000 - New archaeological discoveries in Syria date back to 2500 BC
The Syrian- European expedition team working at Tel Beidar, near al-Hassaka city (northern Syria) found a collection of cuneiform clay tablets that date back to 2500 BC. The unearthed clay tablets speak about trade exchange between Tel al-Beidar position and other neighboring sites. Syria, Culture, 1/21/2000 - Syrian premier confers with Turkish minister
Syrian Prime Minister Mahmoud al-Zou'bi on Wednesday in Damascus received the Turkish minister of state for meteorology and sea transport, Ramadan Oglo, and members of the accompanying delegation. Syria-Turkey, Politics, 1/20/2000 - Israeli paper and the Syrian track
The Israeli daily Yediot Ahronot said on Wednesday that Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak prefers to negotiate with Syria on the grounds of June 6, 1967 of no certain or definite border marks, which will give the two sides a margin to maneuvere, instead of negotiating on the basis of international borders set in 1923 by the two mandates of the French and British powers at that time to separate Palestine and Syria. Syria-Israel, Politics, 1/20/2000 - Israeli sources and negotiations with Syria
Israeli political sources have expressed, in statements quoted by Israeli Radio on Wednesday, their belief that the resumption of Syrian-Israeli negotiations will not be made before the beginning of February. Syria-Israel, Politics, 1/20/2000 - Syrian- Turkish normalization proceeds slowly
The Turkish daily Hurrieyet said on Tuesday that the normalization process in Syrian- Turkish relations is improving slowly since the expulsion of the leader of the Kurdistani Workers Party (PKK), Abdullah Ocalan, from Syria. Syria-Turkey, Politics, 1/20/2000 - Al-Sharaa reviews Middle East developments with Iranian, Japanese ambassadors
Syrian Foreign Minister Farouk al-Sharaa on Wednesday in Damascus received the Iranian ambassador in Damascus, Hussein Sheikh al-Islam. Syria-Iran, Politics, 1/20/2000 - Water expert: Syrian-Israeli water conflict can be settled easily Syria-Israel, Politics, 1/20/2000
- Al-Sharaa receives telephone call from Russian counterpart Syria-Russia, Politics, 1/19/2000
- Bashar al-Assad to visit London, Washington Syria-International, Politics, 1/19/2000
- Syria's position towards the peace talks with Israel
The Syrian official said that the scenario tries to impose a peace treaty similar to those previously rejected by Damascus and considered it insulting to the supreme national interests of the Arab states. Syria-Israel, Politics, 1/19/2000 - Syrian PNF holds Israel responsible for the current situation of negotiations
The participants in the meeting listened to a political report read by Foreign Minister Farouk al-Sharaa. The report dealt with the latest developments of negotiations between Syria and Israel. Syria, Politics, 1/19/2000 - Report: Chirac says peace agreement between Israel and Syria to be signed by the end of February
The Kuwaiti daily al-Rai al-Am quoted an Arab senior figure who recently met with French President Jacques Chirac as saying that peace is proceeding in rapid strides between Syria and Israel and that the agreement between the two countries might be signed by the end of February. Regional-Syria-France, Politics, 1/19/2000 - Syria and the Israeli accusations
Monte Carlo radio said on Tuesday that the fact Syria did not react to the Israeli accusations addressed to it over the postponement of the third round of negotiations on the Syrian track is a Syrian tactic aimed at snatching more concessions. Syria-Israel, Politics, 1/19/2000 - Israeli intelligence and a new map for the Golan
The Israeli daily Haaretz said on Tuesday that the Israeli military intelligence has drawn a map for the line which used to separate the Israeli and Syrian forces on June 4, 1967 in the Golan, on the eve of the eruption of war between the two countries. Syria-Israel, Politics, 1/19/2000 - Israel to make amendment to end current crisis with Syria
Israeli Minister of the Interior Yossi Beilin said in a statement to Israeli Radio on Tuesday that Syria does not understand the motives for the Syrian decision to suspend the negotiations. He expressed his belief that there is a mistake. Syria-Israel, Politics, 1/19/2000 - Golan settlers: Barak is not authorized to restore the Golan
Israeli settlers announced on Tuesday that they had warned Syrian President Hafez al-Assad that Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak is not authorized to return the Golan to Syria. Syria-Israel, Politics, 1/19/2000 - Syrian-Israeli negotiations are postponed under demarcating June 4, 1967 lines Syria-Israel, Politics, 1/18/2000
- Turkish minister arrives in Damascus
Turkish minister of meteorology and sea transport Merza Oglo and members of the accompanying delegation arrived in Damascus on Monday on an official visit to Syria. The visit will last for four days. Syria-Turkey, Politics, 1/18/2000 - Syrian FM reviews developments with Lebanese, Turkish FMs
A telephone call was made on Monday between Lebanese Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Salim al-Hoss and Syrian Foreign Minister Farouk al-Sharaa. Syria-Lebanon, Politics, 1/18/2000 - Syrian official: Israeli pressures for the normalization Syria-Israel, Politics, 1/18/2000
- Report: Barak and the negotiations with Syria
Monte Carlo radio's correspondent in Tel Aviv quoted a well-informed Israeli source as saying that Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak will propose in the coming round to the Syrians a clearer stand toward the question of the borders but a stand less than the Syrian expectations in this regard. Syria-Israel, Politics, 1/18/2000 - Syria, Israel work for a settlement for Israel's withdrawal from the Golan
The Israeli daily Jerusalem Post on Monday quoted Alon Ben Meir, a professor based in Washington, as saying that Syria and Israel are working for a settlement on an Israeli withdrawal that takes place on stages from the Golan during a period extending from two years to 30 months. Syria-Israel, Politics, 1/18/2000 - US sources and negotiations between Syria and Israel Syria-Israel, Politics, 1/18/2000
- Sudan, Bahrain voice backing to Syria
Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir and the ruler of Bahrain Sheikh Hamad Bin Issa al-Khaleifa have asserted in a joint statement their full backing to and solidarity with Syria to restore back all its territories in the occupied Golan back to June 4, 1967 lines on the ground of UN resolutions 242 and 338 as well as the land for peace formula Regional-Syria, Politics, 1/18/2000 - European Union Middle East peace envoy confers with Israeli FM Syria-Israel, Politics, 1/18/2000
- EU to help rebuild the Golan
Israeli Hebrew language radio on Monday said that the countries of the European Union wish to take part in the Syrian-Israeli negotiations, especially concerning the agreement over the water issue, economic development for the Golan area and security measures that can build confidence between the two sides. Syria-Israel-European Union, Politics, 1/18/2000 - Budget discussions by the Syrian parliament
The Syrian People's Assembly (parliament) on Monday held a meeting chaired by its speaker, Abdul Qader Qaddoura and Prime Minister Mahmoud al-Zou'bi and which was attended by the deputy prime ministers for economic and service affairs. Syria, Economics, 1/18/2000 - Israel readies maps to end disrupted peace talks
Israeli sources blamed Syria for the latest disruption of the peace talks between the two parties and said that Syrian President Hafez al-Assad had lots of expectations from the previous rounds of talks and was eventually disappointed. Syria-Israel, Politics, 1/18/2000 - Al-Sharaa talks with Albright on peace negotiations Syria-USA, Politics, 1/17/2000
- Solanas hold talks in Damascus with FM al-Sharaa Syria-European Union, Politics, 1/17/2000
- Syria confirms demands to dissolve settlements, evacuate settlers
Damascus stated that it demands not only the Israeli Army's withdrawal from Golan but also dissolving and evacuating the settlements and evacuating the settlers. Syria-Israel, Politics, 1/17/2000 - Masalha statements on the Syrian- Israeli peace talks
Israeli Foreign Minister Nawaf Masalha has expressed his belief that next spring will witness the signing of a peace agreement between Syria and Israel. Syria-Israel, Politics, 1/17/2000 - Israeli minister calls for reducing representation in talks with Syria
Israeli Labor Minister Eliyahu Yishai from the Shas movement has called for reducing the level of Israel's representation in the Shepherdstown negotiations with Syria. Syria-Israel, Politics, 1/17/2000 - Report on negotiations on the Syrian track
negotiations on the Syrian track are dealing four main issues in the security file. Syria-Israel, Politics, 1/17/2000