Israel and Syria :: Threats to World Peace

Next weeks quiet talks between Israel and Syria are expected to focus on the hereafter of the Golan Heights -- strategic land that Israel captured from its Arab neighbor in the 1967 Middle eastern United States war. Israeli and Syrian leaders accordd Wednesday to resume their negotiations, which broke move out in 1996. The talks are to pick up where they left murder n betimes four years ago. Analysts say Syria and Israel were close to agreement then. During the re-create negotiations, Israel is expected to insist on security guarantees in its northern territorial dominion in exchange for the return of the Golan Heights. Syria might be c all in alled upon to demilitarize the theatre to ensure that goal. U.S. prexy Bill Clinton announced the resumption of talks at a news conference Wednesday. Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak and Syrian Foreign Minister Farouk al-Sharaa plan to meet for two days next week in Washington, before returning to the Middle East for much negotiations. The breakthrough came after U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright met Tuesday with Syrian President Hafez Assad in the Syrian capital of Damascus she met Wednesday with Barak in Jerusalem. VIDEO Watch U.S. President Bill Clinton give his opening remarks at his Wednesday news conference (December 8) QuickTime act Real 28K 80K Windows Media 28K 80K AUDIO Listen to Clintons statement on the Mideast peace assist 2.5 MB/4.07 min.AIFF or WAV sound ALSO Albright takes work break to mall in Manger SquareMESSAGE BOARD Mideast peace study issues in dispute between Israel and Syria How much territory Israel go out relinguish. Syria demands all of the Golan Heights, a high ground overlooking northeastern Israel that Syria lost in the 1967 war. Syria also is seeking territory stretching to the Sea of Galilee. Whether Syria will agree to normal diplomatic relations with Israel, including an exchange of ambassadors. The timing of the Isr ael pullback and whether it will be undertaken in stages.Security arrangements after a pullback. The Golan Heights engage served as a protective barrier for Israel and it is seeking substitute arrangements, including an early warning system of imminent attack.From The Associated Press . . .