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Syrian-israeli Armistice Talks Arrangements May Be Set Today; Bunche Syrian Envoy

March 21, 1949
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The date and place of meeting of Syrian and Israeli negotiators for an armistice will be set tomorrow or within the next few days, it was reliably learned here today after the departure of Dr. Farid Zein Din, Secretary-General of the Syrian Foreign Office, who returned to Damascus today.

It was reported that the Syrian brought his government’s official agreement to negotiate and also had the power to set the time and place of the parley. After telephoning Late Success, U.N mediator Ralph J. Bunche consulted with Reuven Shiloah, head of the Israeli mission here. Shiloah has since communicated with Tel Aviv.

Meanwhile, resumption of the talks between Israel and Trans Jordan is expected tomorrow after representatives of each of the delegations returns from his respective capital with fresh instructions. Leaving the question of negotiations with the Iraqis to one side, Israeli representatives here have told Dr. Bunche that they cannot agree to the Transjordanians taking over the “triangle” area opposite Tel Aviv–now held by the Iraqis. Although Dr. Bunche and the Jews have discussed the problem repeatedly, no agreement on this issue has been reacted.

(In London this week-end, a Foreign Office spokesman declared that British troops in Transjordan would remain there as long as there appeared to be any need for them under the Anglo-Transjordan Treaty. He was commenting on a statement by Dr. Walter Eytan, director-general of the Israeli Foreign Ministry, that Israel will demand that either British troops be withdrawn from Transjordan or be counted in the Arab total An deciding the size of the force each state may keep on the armistice lines.)

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