Word: assad
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JERUSALEM: Secretary of State Warren Christopher and Israeli Prime Minister Shimon Peres announced a cease-fire in Israeli's deadly conflict with Hizballah. The announcement comes after Christopher conducted an intense week of diplomatic shuttle missions with Peres, Syrian President Hafez Assad and Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. Christopher said that the today's agreement goes beyond the 1993 verbal agreement between Hizballah and Israel not to shell civilians on either side of the Lebanese-Israeli border. Under the deal, Hizballah will halt attacks into northern Israel, while Israel will not target civilian areas in Lebanon. A sticking point...
DAMASCUS, Syria: Secretary of State Warren Christopher met with Syrian President Hafez Assad Wednesday for a marathon 4 1/2 hour session of talks aimed at reaching a cease-fire between Israel and Hizballah guerrillas in Lebanon. Despite canceling a Tuesday meeting with Christopher, Assad insists he was not snubbing the U.S. envoy. U.S. officials speculated that Assad, who has battled health problems for more than a decade, may have been sick. As soon as Christopher's meeting with Assad ended, the secretary traveled in a heavily guarded motorcade to Chtaura, in the heart of Lebanon's Bekaa valley, to meet...
...Adding to the volatility of the situation, McGeary says, is that Syria would like to see hard-liner Benjamin Netanyahu, who is unlikely to pursue a peace agreement, replace Peres. "The Syrians have been under Western pressure to deliver peace and have been stalling in the negotiations. Hafez al Assad is not ready for a comprehensive peace, which would entail opening up Syrian borders to trade and tourism. Assad's dictatorial hold on the country might be severely undermined by open borders...
...Arabs and Israel. The peace deal paved the way for other countries to follow suit." Syria, which had been engaged in talks with Israel before the bombings, is not expected to send a representative to the summit. Syria supports many radical groups, including Hamas, and MacLeod says President Hafez Assad will eventually have to play a key role in preserving the peace agreement. "Assad's refusal to attend the conference is part of a consistent strategy to use militant surrogates as part of his playing hand in negotiations with Israel," MacLeod says. "This doesn't mean that he will resist...
...negotiations are being mediated by American Dennis Ross, and are expected to run into the middle of next week, with time off for the weekend. Secretary of State Warren Christopher said he will join in the discussions late Thursday and will travel to the region to meet with Assad and Peres after the talks are completed...