(10 Jan 2000) Natural Sound
The Middle-East peace talks between Israel and Syria in the U-S appear to be winding down without agreement.
President Clinton met Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak and Syrian Foreign Minister Farouk al-Sharaa in Shepherdstown on Sunday for two-and-a-half hours.
But the Israeli Prime Minister is expected to depart for home on Monday and diplomatic sources say al-Sharaa is likely to also leave on Tuesday.
U-S State Department spokesman James Rubin says there's been "a lot of positive developments," but Israel and Syria face "enormous decisions" which aren't likely to be made in a matter of days.
U-S President Bill Clinton has once again been in Shepherdstown in West Virginia trying to mediate an agreement between Israel and Syria in the land-for-peace negotiations.
He spent two-and-a-half hours with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak and Syrian Foreign Minister Farouk al-Sharaa - as well as meeting with each leader separately.
But the talks, now nearing their end, have been inconclusive.
It was the fifth time Clinton paid a visit to the negotiating table, returning to the site on Sunday night, in the hope common ground would be reached.
An administration official says it's unlikely that Clinton will return to the talks on Monday.
And it's expected that Ehud Barak will leave the negotiating table and return to Israel on Monday - a week after the latest round of talks began.
Diplomatic sources say al-Sharaa is also likely to leave on Tuesday.
That leaves open the possibility that Barak and al-Sharaa may leave experts behind to try to keep whittling away at the issues.
The negotiations have centred around terms for an Israeli withdrawal from the Golan Heights, captured in the 1967 Middle East War, in exchange for peace with Syria.
Israeli Prime Minister Barak described the talks, which focused on peace terms, water and security, as complex and difficult.
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