Secy. of State Christopher meets with Pres. Asad in Damascus, telling him the U.S. will play an "active role" as a "full partner" perhaps lending "some ideas of its own" in upcoming peace talks. FM Shara' says the deportees issue is "a thorn in resuming the peace process," which is "more important." Christopher then meets with King Fahd in Riyadh. (MM, NYT 2/22)
Jerusalem Center for Media and Communications poll of o.t. Palestinians finds 83.7% oppose resuming peace talks without "settlement" of deportees issue; 61% favor talks after deportees settlement, 35% oppose. 32% feel talks will "never bring anything good for the Palestinians"; 50% feel they will bring some good. 58% regard PLO as the Palestinians' representative, 12.4% feel it is the Islamic movement. (MM 2/22; NYT 2/23; al-Sharq 2/25 in FBIS 3/8)