Peres -Solana

             EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana on Monday told President Shimon Peres that his impression of his meeting with Syrian President Bashar Assad was that he is interested in resuming negotiations with Israel. Peres replied, "If Assad is interested in peace with Israel, he must enter into direct negotiations without preconditions." The president stressed the importance of remembering that Israel's presence in the Golan Heights was the result of a Syrian attack, adding that "Israel has every right to ensure that we will not be attacked again." Peres added, "Hizbullah is Syria's reserve army, which acts on its behalf as a terrorist organization. Assad must decide whether he wants peace or continued conflict. I believe that we must try and make peace with Syria, but there is no need for intermediaries," he concluded. Peres told the EU official that both sides have expressed their support in a solution of "two states for two peoples," and are willing to resume negotiations. The president stressed that it was important to enter talks as soon as possible so as not to miss the opportunity for peace. (15,49)