Syrian newspapers warned the US administration Tuesday of the dangers it foresees in accepting Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's proposal for convening an international Mideast peace conference.
Sharon was to visit the White House Tuesday, when Israeli and US officials were predicted to try to define the framework for such a conference, which US Secretary of State Colin Powell announced last week. Syria has rejected Sharon's call, AP reported.
Tishreen daily wrote Sharon was merely trying to sabotage a pan-Arab peace initiative that would offer Israel recognition and full relations in exchange for a complete withdrawal from occupied Arab land and a just end to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
"Undoubtedly, the US administration would push the Middle East region to new catastrophes and would destroy the peace process if it is dragged into Sharon's misleading proposals," the Tishreen editorial said.
Al-Thawra, another Syrian state-run newspaper, warned Sharon would capitalize on US compliance with his wishes to "inflame the whole region and expand the circle of war which he has launched against the Palestinians." (Albawaba.com)
© 2002 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
