Syria pushes for more peace talks

THE SYRIANS have called a meeting of concerned Arab states to discuss how they might return to the Middle East peace talks. The meeting will consecrate a decision already taken during the swing through the region this past week by the US Secretary of State, Warren Christopher.

In essence, Mr Christopher found the Arab states - Syria, Lebanon and Jordan - willing to return to the negotiating table, even though the plight of the 400-odd Palestinians deported by Israel had not been resolved. In Brussels yesterday Mr Christopher said he was hopeful that the Middle East peace talks would resume in Washington in April.

Mr Christopher achieved this breakthrough by playing the Arab states off against the Palestinians. For all their bluster about support for Palestinian rights, and all the furore over Israel's expulsion of 413 Palestinian Muslim militants in December, the Arab states were not going to be held up in the pursuit of their national interests.

This much was repeated by Mr Christopher yesterday in Brussels after meeting the Syrian Foreign Minister, Farouq al-Sharaa. Mr Christopher said Mr Sharaa had assured him Syria was ready to accept the invitation for talks to resume in Washington on 18 April. 'I told him the basis on which we had suggested that the meetings be reconvened in April,' Mr Christopher said. 'Frankly, I asked for his support in making sure that there was a positive response . . . and he gave me assurances that his country would be helpful in that regard.'

'I've been surprised by the number of leaders in countries that told me this might be a one-time opportunity for peace, and I think they all want to grasp the moment,' Mr Christopher said. 'We felt confident enough to say the talks would resume in April.' Mr Christopher has also reassured Arab leaders that the US would be a 'full partner' when negotiations resumed.

The Arabs would not admit as much publicly. Mr Sharaa said no Arabs would go to the peace talks without finding a satisfactory solution to the deportees question.

'We in Syria insist on the return of all the deportees,' he said. Mr Sharaa had suggested earlier that Syria was not going to be held back by the continuing presence of the Palestinians on the Lebanese mountainside. The UN Security Council resolutions concerning Israeli withdrawal 'are more encompassing than other relevant Security Council resolutions'. According to Arab officials, the aim is to get some commitment that Israel will accept back the deportees during this calendar year.

At the same time, Mr Sharaa dismissed Israeli speculation that Syria might make a separate deal with Israel. Syria sought a global solution, he repeated. In other words, no deal with Israel unless there was a deal on the Palestinian issue. 'If we had wanted a separate peace, we could have done it years ago,' he said.

Israel has responded by explaining that the mass expulsions were an extraordinary act, not a policy. It has also said it would allow the return of Palestinians expelled earlier for association with the Palestine Liberation Organisation.