Secretary of State Warren Christopher is joining Israeli-Syrian negotiations in Maryland and traveling to the Middle East in pursuit of his No. 1 foreign policy goal for 1996: a peace treaty between the two old adversaries.
The two countries have labored for more than four years to conclude a settlement but have not resolved differences over territory, security and other peace terms.As negotiations resumed Wednesday at a secluded site on Maryland's Eastern Shore, State Department spokesman Nicholas Burns predicted "many, many, many difficult discussions" before Israel and Syria find their way to a settlement - if they ever do.
Christopher was going to the Wye Plantation near Queenstown, Md., Thursday "just to take the temperature," an administration official said. Diplomatic sources said he would have a private dinner with the delegations.
In three years, Christopher has made 15 negotiating trips to the Middle East, helping to ease Israel and Jordan toward a peace treaty and promoting Palestinian self-rule on the West Bank. But the negotiations between Syria and Israel remain knotted.
"Our ultimate objective here in 1996 is to try to help Syria and Israel reach a comprehensive agreement between them that will resolve the problems that have separated them since 1948," State Department spokesman Nicholas Burns said.
There were strong indications, though, that a breakthrough was not imminent. While Christopher is willing to conduct an open-ended shuttle between Damascus and Jerusalem to get a peace treaty, the trip next week is expected to be brief. Also, U.S. diplomats said Syria and Israel had yet to agree on a formula to resolve their differences.