Jerusalem - The Israeli Prime Minister, Mr Ehud Barak, defending US-brokered peace moves with Syria despite domestic opposition to a Golan Heights pullout, said yesterday a "core agreement" could be reached within two months.
Asked about reports that President Clinton, mediator of the recently resumed talks, seeks a core accord - forerunner to a full peace treaty - by March, Mr Barak said: "I don't think it pretentious to think we will have a core agreement in two months' time, perhaps two weeks more or less."
Mr Barak returned home on Tuesday from an inconclusive second round of talks with Syria in the US.