VOL. XLII

No. 26

28-June-1999

The Political Scene

An unprecedented exchange of public compliments betweenSyrian President Hafiz al-Asad and Israeli prime minister-elect Ehud Baraksuggests that the Netanyahu-era ice on the Syrian track of the peace process isbeginning to thaw. Saudi Arabia and the UAE are making up after their spat overRiyadhs rapprochement with Tehran.

An Exchange Of Pleasantries

Former US Secretary of State James Baker insisted that hisvisit to Syria at the end of last week ...