Israel, Syria to Resume Talks Later This Month

Israel and Syria called a recess in their historic peace talks Monday, interrupting negotiations that have produced no deals but have established a surprisingly cordial relationship between leaders of countries that have been formally at war for more than 50 years.

As they packed to go home from this West Virginia college town, Israeli and Syrian delegates said they were satisfied with the progress made during eight days of talks. One Israeli official said a peace treaty seemed within reach, although by no means certain.

President Clinton was upbeat in his assessment of the talks, which could produce a land-for-peace deal under which Israel would withdraw from the Golan Heights. Clinton was on the scene for most of the meetings, acting as a catalyst for the Israeli and Syrian leaders, who were willing to meet face to face only when the president was also in the room.

“These people really talked about the substance of their differences for the first time,” Clinton said. “They were very open, they were very candid, they covered all the issues, and I think they broke a lot of ground. But it’s tough; I told you it was tough in the beginning.”

State Department spokesman James P. Rubin announced that Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak, Syrian Foreign Minister Farouk Shareh and the senior aides who accompanied them will resume work Jan. 19. He said the talks will be held in the Washington area, although not necessarily in Shepherdstown.

Four committees of experts created last week will not remain in session during the recess. But officials said Israeli and Syrian negotiators will continue to analyze a U.S.-drafted document outlining areas of agreement and disagreement.

U.S. officials called the paper “a start” toward writing a peace treaty. While each side offered some “new ideas” during the West Virginia talks, Rubin said, there were no new areas of agreement.

U.S. officials said they never expected to complete any deals in this round of talks, but they expressed hope for more progress when the negotiations resume.

The talks are scheduled to reconvene just one day before Palestinian Authority President Yasser Arafat arrives in Washington for a previously scheduled visit. U.S. officials said they expect Barak to set aside his negotiations with the Syrians long enough to meet with Clinton and Arafat, probably at the White House.

Israel and the Palestinians agreed last year to complete the framework of a final peace agreement by mid-February. That seemed like a tight time schedule when it was announced, and it now appears unattainable given that Israeli and Palestinian negotiators have not even addressed the most difficult issues. Nevertheless, Israeli, Palestinian and U.S. officials continue to express confidence that they can meet the deadline.

Middle East specialists say there has never been a better chance for peace between Israel and Syria because the objectives of each country are compatible. Syria wants to regain the strategic Golan Heights, which Israel seized during the 1967 Middle East War. Israel wants ironclad security guarantees, a firm assurance of water rights and a “normal” peace marked by the exchange of ambassadors.

Although both sides can be expected to make concessions only grudgingly, each can afford to give the other what it wants most. For Israel, the Golan is militarily important. Unlike the West Bank, however, it has no Old Testament significance, enabling Barak to trade it for something of higher priority.

For Syria, normal relations and security guarantees for Israel would be unpopular, but a price worth paying to regain the Golan.

The Shepherdstown talks made no real change in that equation. But U.S. officials say the meetings led to a better working relationship between Barak and Shareh.

“We’re on a warming trend,” Rubin said of the atmosphere between the two. But he quickly added, “I wouldn’t want to overstate it.”