DATE=6/10/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=U-S-SYRIA REACT(L)
NUMBER=2-263359
BYLINE=DAVID GOLLUST
DATELINE=WHITE HOUSE
CONTENT=

VOICED AT:


INTRO:  President Clinton has expressed sadness at the 
death of Syrian President Hafez Al-Assad and also hope 
that the leaders who succeed him in Damascus will 
continue to search for peace with Israel. VOA's David 
Gollust reports from the White House.



TEXT:  Mr. Clinton was informed of the death of 
President Assad as he prepared to make a graduation 
speech at a college in Minnesota. And later in an 
airport statement in Minneapolis, he stressed his 
respect for the late Syrian leader despite their 
policy differences, and his belief that President 
Assad's expressed commitment to making peace with 
Israel was sincere:

            ///Clinton actuality///

      While we had our disagreements, I always 
      respected him because I felt that he was open 
      and straight-forward with me. And because I felt 
      he meant it when he said he had made a strategic 
      choice for peace. I regret that that peace was 
      not achieved in his lifetime. And I hope that it 
      can still be achieved in no small measure 
      because of the commitment he made.


            ///end act///

Mr. Clinton was able to broker a resumption of 
Israeli-Syrian peace talks last December after a 
suspension of nearly four years. However the talks 
broke down in January with the sides in agreement on 
most elements of a peace treaty -- but not on a 
precise boundary that would follow an Israeli 
withdrawal from the Golan Heights.

What turned out to be Mr. Clinton's last meeting with 
President Assad came on March 26th in Geneva, where he 
tried  unsuccessfully to persuade him to return to the 
bargaining table. 

U-S-Syrian diplomatic contacts continued however, and 
Mr. Clinton told reporters in Minneapolis he hopes 
that after a transitional period, a new leadership in 
Damascus will stay on the path toward peace chosen by 
President Assad:

            ///second Clinton actuality///

      There will be a period of mourning in Syria. 
      There will be a period of sorting-out. And the 
      Syrian people will make some decisions and then 
      we'll see what happens. But, you know, we've 
      been at this for years because of the decision 
      that he made to go back to negotiations and to 
      try to move away from conflict. And it's 
      certainly a path I hope the country will stay 
      on.


            ///end act///

U-S Secretary of State Madaleine Albright met Syrian 
Foreign Minister Farouk Al-Sharaa last week in the 
region, and said while they had a forward-looking 
discussion, there was no progress on the territorial 
impasse between Israel and Syria. 

The administration's principal focus of late has been 
on helping Israel and the Palestinians reach a final-
status accord by their self-imposed September deadline 
- with Mr. Clinton scheduled to meet Palestinian 
Authority President Yasser Arafat here next Wednesday. 
(Signed)


NEB/DAG/PT



10-Jun-2000 16:20 PM EDT (10-Jun-2000 2020 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
.