Israelis Hope Visit Helps Peace Talks

Israel hopes Secretary of State Warren Christopher’s visit next week will lead to renewed direct peace talks with Syria, an Israeli diplomat said Saturday.

Itamar Rabinovich, Israel’s ambassador to Washington, said direct negotiations with Syria have been frozen since December, when army officers from both countries met secretly in Washington.

Rabinovich, who spoke on Israel radio, has headed Israel’s peace talks with Syria.

The talks are deadlocked over the Golan Heights.