The European Union's Middle East envoy, Mr Miguel Angel Moratinos, says Syria believes that peace with Israel can be achieved in one year if the new government of Mr Ehud Barak is prepared to resume the negotiations broken off during the premiership of Mr Yitzhak Rabin.
The Syrians claim that 80 per cent of the issues in dispute between the two countries had been resolved at the time the negotiations were suspended.
Mr Moratinos, in Nicosia on his way to Tel Aviv following discussions with Syrian officials in Damascus, said: "I really found them extremely ready and anxious to resume talks as soon as possible." The EU envoy travelled to Syria after consultations with confidants of Mr Barak who, according to Mr Moratinos, has placed peace with Syria high on a list of priorities.
The Syrian Foreign Minister, Mr Farouk al-Sharaa, apparently told Mr Moratinos that Damascus trusted Mr Barak, who, as Israel's chief-of-staff, took part in past negotiations.
Mr Barak has said that he intends to complete a staged Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon by next summer and is prepared to negotiate with Syria on the Golan Heights, occupied by Israel since 1967. Mr Barak said the extent of Israel's withdrawal from the Golan Heights would match the extent of peace Syria was prepared to give Israel.
