As Israeli and Syrian negotiators this week resumed talks in Maryland after a weekend break, Israeli Foreign Minister Ehud Barak downplayed the chances for a serious breakthrough in the current round of negotiations.
Speaking to reporters in Jerusalem, Barak said the recent discussions had seen “modest progress” in atmosphere, but no movement on issues of substance.
In an attempt to speed up the pace of the talks, U.S. Secretary of State Warren Christopher was planning to intervene for a second time.
Barak also said it was too early for the United States to put forward any proposals on security arrangements to bridge gaps between the two sides.
The current round of talks, which are taking place with the participation of Israeli and Syrian military experts, are focusing on security issues.
Last week, Barak was criticized by colleagues in Israel who charged him with putting too pessimistic a spin on the state of the negotiations when discussing them during a trip to New York.
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