    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: WILLIAM J. CLINTON (1999, Book II)]
    [December 16, 1999]
    [Page 2307]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks Following Discussions With Prime Minister Ehud Barak of Israel and Foreign Minister Farouk al-Shara of Syria
    December 16, 1999

    Middle East Peace Process

        Over the past 48 hours, Israel and Syria have taken a critical step
    in the journey toward peace. That journey will be a difficult one, but
    with courage and perseverance on both sides, the result will be deeply
    rewarding to the people of Israel and to the people of Syria.
        In the course of their meetings with Secretary Albright and with me, Prime Minister Barak and Foreign
    Minister Shara agreed to make every effort to reach peace between Israel
    and Syria as part of a just, lasting, and comprehensive Middle East
    peace, based on United Nations resolutions 242 and 338 and the Madrid
    terms of reference. To that end, the Prime Minister and the Foreign
    Minister agreed to return to Washington to continue their negotiations
    on an intensive basis beginning January 3, 2000, about 2 weeks from now.
        They have requested the United States to participate in these
    negotiations, and we are honored to do so. They agreed to take steps to
    ensure that these negotiations will be conducted in a productive and
    positive atmosphere.
        We are witnessing a new beginning in the effort to achieve a
    comprehensive peace in the Middle East. With Syrian-Israeli negotiations
    off to a good start, Israeli-Lebanese negotiations expected to begin
    soon, and the Palestinian track well underway, we can truly set our
    sights on a new and different Middle East.
        As I emphasized from the outset, the journey will be tough. Nothing
    in the past 48 hours should lead us to believe otherwise. But the
    parties are embarked on this path. They have agreed there should be no
    looking back, for the sake of our generations and generations yet to
    come.
        I thank the Prime Minister and his team. I thank Foreign Minister
    Shara and his team. I thank Secretary Albright and those on the American team. All of them have worked
    hard. And I want Israel and Syria to know they can count on the United
    States every step of the way.
        Thank you very much.

    Note: The President spoke at 3:40 p.m. in the West Portico at the White
    House.