According to the Saudi newspaper Al-Riyadh, Syrian Vice President Abdel Halim Khaddam emphasized that the Syrian initiative to establish a weapon of mass destruction-free Middle East region had been under discussion in the UN Security Council for a considerable period, predating the emergence of the Libyan initiative.
He highlighted Syria’s earnest commitment to this matter, stating that there is an agreement between Syria and Arab nations to actively pursue this initiative both within and outside the Security Council.
Khaddam refuted the claim that Israel had agreed to engage in negotiations with Syria, clarifying that the United States had advised Israel against agreeing until Damascus accepted all of the conditions set by Israel and the United States.
