DATE=3/27/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=ISRAEL / SYRIA (L)
NUMBER=2-260658
BYLINE=MEREDITH BUEL
DATELINE=JERUSALEM
CONTENT=
VOICE AT:
INTRO: U-S Middle East envoy Dennis Ross says the
United States will continue efforts to restart peace
talks between Israel and Syria even though a meeting
between President Clinton and Syrian President Hafez
al-Assad failed to revive negotiations. Correspondent
Meredith Buel in Jerusalem reports Mr. Ross made the
remarks after meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud
Barak.
TEXT: Mr. Ross met with Prime Minister Barak to brief
him on Sunday's meeting between President Clinton and
Syrian President Hafez al-Assad in Geneva.
Mr. Ross said the United States will continue efforts
to bring Israel and Syria back to the bargaining
table, despite differences that have stalled peace
talks between the two nations.
/// ROSS ACT ///
What we learned from yesterday, I think, was to
get a better appreciation of exactly where
things stood in terms of the Syrian positions
and how they relate to the Israeli positions. As
we have stated, there are differences and as the
president has said, while the gaps are not wide
we are on a difficult path. We are going to
continue to try to find the best way forward.
We are going to continue to try to work with the
parties to see if there is a way to make
headway.
/// END ACT ///
Prime Minister Barak says Syria is "apparently not
ready for the types of decisions necessary to reach a
peace agreement" although he says Israel has not
"closed the door" on more talks with the Damascus
government.
Justice Minister Yossi Beilin says Israel will now
focus on withdrawing its soldiers from Lebanon and on
peace talks with the Palestinians.
/// BEILIN ACT ///
They paved the way for the continuation of the
peace process with the other parties. We now
know for sure, that in the next months, there is
no real chance to have peace between Israel and
Syria. That is a very important piece of
information. Now, I believe, it will be
possible, on the one hand to withdraw from
Lebanon even without an agreement with Syria,
and on the other hand to accelerate the
negotiations with the Palestinians toward a
permanent solution with the Palestinians by
September of this year.
/// END ACT ///
Syria is demanding that Israel return all of the Golan
Heights as part of any peace treaty. Israel captured
the strategic plateau during the 1967 Middle East war
and wants to focus negotiations on security and water
rights before agreeing to new borders.
Foreign Minister David Levy says Israel will continue
with plans to withdraw soldiers from Lebanon by July
of this year, whether or not a peace treaty is signed
with Syria. (Signed)
NEB/MB/JWH/KL
27-Mar-2000 13:24 PM EDT (27-Mar-2000 1824 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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