U.S. Letter of Assurances to Syria, October 1991

1. The peace conference and the talks that follow must be based on Security Council Resolutions 242 and 338.

2. The object of the conference is to prepare for direct bilateral Arab-Israeli talks within two days and also for multilateral talks within two weeks. The bilateral talks will run on two parallel tracks: direct talks between Israel and the neighboring states, and direct talks between Israel and "the Palestinians."

3. The U.S. intends to work actively towards a comprehensive settlement of the Arab-Israeli conflict and do everything it can to keep the two-track process going in that direction. The U.S. is not an advocate of linkage between the "various forms of negotiations," but believes that speedy action m all negotiations to arrive at an agreement is needed and would serve the interests of a comprehensive settlement.

4. The conference will convene under U.S.-Soviet auspices and can reconvene with the approval of all parties.

5. The role of the UN consists in the dispatch by the UN secretary-general of a representative to attend the conference as an observer.

      The U.S. and the USSR will keep the secretary-general informed of the progress of the negotiations. Any agreements reached by the parties will be registered at the secretary and communicated to the Security Council, whose endorsement will be sought by the participating parties. The U.S., cognizant of all parties' interests in the success of the process, will not, as long as the process is actively under way, support any parallel or conflicting action by the Security Council.

6. The final settlement can be reached only on the basis of mutual concessions during the negotiations. The U.S. will throughout these negotiations continue to be committed to the fact that Security Council Resolution 242 and the land-for-peace principle are applicable to all fronts, including the Golan Heights.

7. The U.S. does not intend to recognize or accept any unilateral action on the pan of Israel vis-a-vis the extension of its laws, sovereignty or administration to the territory of the Golan Heights.

8. The U.S. will continue to oppose Israeli settlement activity in the territories occupied in 1967, which remains an obstacle to peace.

9. The U.S. is prepared to serve as guarantor of the security of whatever borders Israel and Syria agree on.

10. The U.S. will continue to act as a mediator that genuinely seeks a settlement of the Arab-Israeli conflict on the basis of recognition of all the parties' "needs and requirements." The U.S. and the USSR will remain the "moving force" in this process to help the parties make progress towards a comprehensive peaceful settlement.

      The U.S. and USSR are ready to remain in constant touch with any of the parties at any time, and the U.S. is also ready to participate in the negotiations in any of their stages with the approval of the parties involved.

SOURCE: Asharq al-Awsat 15 October 1991, as reproduced in Mideast Mirror the same day.