The World - News from May 8, 1987

Jordan’s King Hussein has informed the United States that Syria would enter direct peace talks with Israel under the auspices of a U.N.-sponsored international peace conference and under terms that Jordan believes are acceptable to all the parties, according to Jordanian officials and a senior Western diplomat in Amman. Jordan and Syria, according to these officials, have reached a detailed understanding with the Soviet Union and, through intermediaries, with the United States and with Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres on how to proceed with such a conference this year. However, Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir is unequivocally opposed to the idea.