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Syrian delegation fails to arrive in U.S.

SPECIAL TO WORLD TRIBUNE.COM
Wednesday, January 26, 2000

WASHINGTON -- Syria has failed to send a delegation of experts to the United States as President Hafez Assad insists that Israel commit to delineate a new border that would reflect a full withdrawal from the Golan Heights before peace negotiations continue.

U.S. officials said the delegation had been expected to arrive in Washington to discuss a White House document that would serve as the basis of a peace treaty between Damascus and Jerusalem. The officials said the Syrian delegation did not arrive.

State Department officials said they didn't know if and when the Syrians would arrive.

On Monday, an Israeli delegation led by former intelligence chief Maj. Gen. Uri Saguy is scheduled to arrive to discuss the U.S. document. Israeli sources said the delegation planned to propose numerous revisions of the document.

Syria continued to attack Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak, saying he does not intend to stage an Israeli withdrawal from the Golan Heights. Officials said this was the reason that Damascus refused to hold a third round of talks, scheduled for last week.

The Syrian government newspaper Tishrin said on Tuesday Barak is lying to the entire world and Damascus does not want to award Israel a prize for this behavior.

"The peace negotiations have not achieved their objective because of the Israeli maneuverings and see-sawing," Syrian Deputy President Zuheir Masharqa said. "A reactivation of the American role will lead the negotiations towards their objectives."

Official Syrian radio was more specific in a commentary on Monday. "Barak's statements are a fresh proof of his true intentions, which are to maintain Israeli hegemony over the Golan in the fields of security and economy," Syrian radio said. "Syrian negotiators realized his little game, and decided it was pointless to hold a third round of talks if Barak did not commit himself to the principle of exchanging land for peace and drawing the frontier along the line of June 4, 1967."

In Jerusalem, Israeli officials said the Syrians were engaged in brinkmanship. But they warned that Barak would not agree to delineate a border until normalization and security issues would be discussed first.

"We are not here in a kindergarten," Justice Minister Yossi Beilin said on Tuesday. "We are serious. The Syrians wanted the June 4 borders and we wanted something that would be more in line with our security needs. If the Syrians continue this game, with great regret there won't be peace."

Wednesday, January 26, 2000

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