December 12, 1995
Web posted: 2:45 p.m. EST
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Standing before a joint meeting of Congress on Tuesday, Israeli Prime Minister Shimon Peres appealed to Syrian President Hafez al-Assad to join him in negotiating a peace agreement between their two countries.
"Without illusion, but with resolve, we shall stand ready to make demanding decisions, if you are," Peres said, addressing Assad directly. "We shall negotiate relentlessly until all gaps are bridged."
During the past three years, Israel has reached peace agreements with the Palestinians and with Jordan. But negotiations with Syria are deadlocked over the fate of the strategic border enclave of the Golan Heights, which Syria wants returned.
"Without forgetting the past, let us not look back, let fingertips touch a new untested hope."
-- Shimon Peres (315K AIFF sound or 315K WAV sound)
On his first trip to the United States since Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin was assassinated, Peres began his speech by evoking the words of President Lyndon Johnson when he addressed Congress after the death of John F. Kennedy. "All I have I would have given gladly not to be standing here today," Peres said. "My senior partner is gone." (136K AIFF sound or 136K WAV sound)
Peres told U.S. lawmakers he stands ready to carry on Rabin's quest for peace. "I stand before you with one assignment ... . In the tearful eyes of our young generation, I heard their plea: 'Carry on, carry on.' This is my task." (230K AIFF sound or 230K WAV sound)
The prime minister noted that as he spoke, Israeli troops were withdrawing from Palestinian towns on the West Bank "never to return as occupier. We don't want to occupy anybody."
Peres said he is hopeful a day soon will come when the leaders of all the Middle East countries can live peacefully together. (349K AIFF sound or 349K WAV sound)
After talks with Peres at the White House on Monday, President Clinton announced Secretary of State Warren Christopher will head to Damascus, Syria, on Thursday to help jump-start peace talks between Syria and Israel.
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