Christopher on the road again
Peace eludes Israel and Hezbollah
April 24, 1996
Web posted at: 2:30 p.m. EDT (1830 GMT)DAMASCUS, Syria (CNN) -- U.S. Secretary of State Warren Christopher resumed his ping-pong diplomacy Wednesday, shuttling between countries in an attempt to broker an Israeli-Hezbollah peace accord.
Christopher began the day by meeting with Syrian President Hafez Assad for more than four hours, a day after being turned away.
Shortly after the talks concluded, Christopher hurried to Lebanon to meet with Prime Minister Rafik Harari and parliamentary leader Nabih Berri at a village near the Syrian border. Lebanese troops escorted the convoy to the village.
Christopher then returned to Israel to resume meetings with Prime Minister Shimon Peres.
"Although difficult problems remain, we are drawing closer together and some of the gaps have been narrowed," Christopher said after his meeting with Harari.
Over the last five days, Christopher has shuttled across the Middle East, trying to broker a cease-fire agreement.
Neither Christopher nor Assad made public comments following their meeting, but Christopher is believed to have briefed Assad point-by-point on the American peace proposal.
Syrian apology
Earlier in the day, the Syrian government apologized for Tuesday's scheduling mishap that kept Christopher and Assad apart, dismissing media reports that Assad had snubbed the U.S. diplomat.
"Secretary Christopher is always welcome in Damascus," Foreign Minister Farouk Shaara said. "These stories in the media, which are trying to say something impolite in relations between Secretary Christopher and Syria, are without any foundation."
Pipeline hit
Hezbollah guerrillas and Israel blasted each other for the 14th straight day. Israeli warplanes bombed a pipeline providing water to 23 villages in southern Lebanon and damaged a United Nations armored vehicle, officials said.
The guerrillas have vowed to continue their raids, even if a peace agreement is reached.
One Hezbollah rocket landed about 1.5 miles (2 kilometers) from Israeli Prime Minister Peres, who was touring northern Israel where residents are under the constant threat of Hezbollah assaults. Following the attack, Peres inspected the damage. No one was injured.
Israeli army sources said intelligence reports indicate the Lebanese army is taking a more active role in thwarting Hezbollah's military activities.
Israeli sources told CNN that Lebanese forces were going into some villages to stop Hezbollah fighters from firing rockets into Israel. In one case, sources said, Lebanese villagers called the Lebanese army in to stop Hezbollah from firing rockets, but the soldiers got there too late.
In the past, the Lebanese government has said it had neither the resources or the desire to stop Hezbollah.
Related Stories
- Israeli shelling forces Christopher to cancel Beirut trip - April 23, 1996
- Efforts intensify to reach Mideast cease-fire - April 23, 1996
- Cease-fire negotiations move slowly - April 22, 1996
- Lebanon mourns casualties of fighting - April 22, 1996
- Differing agendas complicate cease-fire negotiations - April 21, 1996
- Christopher optimistic about Mideast cease-fire - April 21, 1996
- Fighting rages for 10th day on Israel's border - April 21, 1996
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