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U.S. to Syria: Control Hizbullah

WASHINGTON -- The United States is demanding that Syria exert more control over Hizbullah, in the wake of the deteriorating situation in Lebanon.

In the latest outbreak of violence, an Israeli soldier was killed and another seriously injured on Friday, when Hizbullah attacked an Israeli position in the eastern sector of the Israeli-controlled security zone.

The attack occurred as the five-nation international monitoring group on Lebanon convened in Nakura, near the Israeli-Lebanese border. The Israeli delegation walked out.

"We're obviously very concerned about what has happened, because we wanted a de-escalation. It's very hard to see why Hizbullah continues these kinds of attacks. It's very important that these kinds of breaks stop so the process can move forward," U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright told the Senate on Friday. "I've talked to the Syrian foreign minister about using all possible influence to make sure this doesn't happen again, she said.

U.S. President Bill Clinton said the deterioration in the situation has accentuated the need for a comprehensive peace agreement involving Syria, Lebanon, and Israel.

"It seems to me that it is a sober reminder of why we ought to resume the peace process with great determination," Clinton said. "A comprehensive peace between Syria and Lebanon and Israel is the only way, ultimately, I think, to resolve the continuing difficulties over many years now along that border."

But, at the same time, Clinton said he was optimistic about the continuation of the peace process.

"You don't have the people who are the real players here...giving up on the peace process," Clinton said. "I am hopeful."

In Damascus, the daily Tishrin, Sunday, called for all western countries to break off relations with Israel in the wake of the stalled peace negotiations with Syria and the escalation of violence in Lebanon.

"Syria presented Israel with a one-time opportunity to push forward peace but the Israeli mentality only knows taking, not giving," the paper said.

The official Al Thawra called upon the international community to break with Israel because Israel's attacks on south Lebanon "destroy the peace process and inflame the hate."

Syrian Foreign Minister Farouk al-Sharaa said Friday that Syria opposed the positioning of Israeli early warning stations on the Golan Heights. He said that Syria also opposed the presence of "even one Israeli soldier on the Golan."

Later Friday, British Foreign Secretary Robin Cook, in a telephone call to al-Sharaa, expressed hope that all the sides in the conflict would act to prevent a futher escalation of violence and resume the peace process on the Syrian and Lebanese tracks.

Al-Sharaa blamed Israel for the military escalation in Lebanon. He stressed last week's Israeli aerial bombardment of Lebanon's power grid and Israel's walkout of Friday's meeting of the international monitoring group on Lebanon, as steps aimed at escalating tension in the region.

In Jerusalem, Israel denied reports that Israeli Erime Minister Ehud Barak had reached an agreement with Damascus to resume negotiations within the coming two weeks, a spokeswoman for Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak said. Israel did not receive any signal from Syria connected to the resumption of talks, she said.

Meanwhile, the Israeli daily Maariv said on Friday that negotiations between Syria and Israel will be resumed under U.S. mediation and that Washington is making efforts to arrange the meeting.