An official Syrian daily called Monday on incoming US president, George W. Bush, to adopt a more balanced policy towards the Middle East than his predecessor, Bill Clinton.
"The current policy of Clinton towards the Middle East peace process is not a good legacy for the coming administration of Bush," said the Syria Times, adding "Mr. Bush still has time to weigh matters well."
The Syrian authorities accuse the US of "total alignment" with Israel and the Syrian press has been denouncing on a near-daily basis the proposals put forward by Clinton for resolving Israeli-Palestinian differences.
The al-Baath daily of the ruling Baath party in Syria said Monday that "these (US) proposals are absolutely the most dangerous for the Palestinian people and its rights."
"They give to Israel what it did not succeed in taking during all its aggressive wars," the paper added.
The Syria Times says the Clinton plan ignores the essence of the conflict.
"As the Clinton administration nears its end on January 20, when George W. Bush takes oath as new president, hectic efforts are being carried out by the (Israeli Prime Minister Ehud) Barak government to market the Israeli-made US proposals," the paper said.
"The US proposals have not addressed the core of the Arab Israeli conflict including the withdrawal to the June 4 1967 line and the return of the refugees to their homes," it added -- DAMASCUS (AFP)
