PRESIDENT Assad of Syria cast doubt yesterday on the future of peace talks with Israel as Arab leaders held emergency meetings to discuss the election of Benjamin Netanyahu as Israel 's new prime minister.
After talks in Cairo with President Mubarak of Egypt, Mr Assad said: "Initially we have no feeling that things are going in a positive way."
Asked whether his country would resume peace talks with Israel, Mr Assad said the issue would be discussed once Arabs have had time to study the new Israeli government's policies.
Meanwhile, the Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat, visited Downing Street for talks with Mr Major as part of a campaign to enlist international support to ensure that Mr Netanyahu does not go back on the Palestinian autonomy accords.
Mr Arafat put on a brave face and said he respected the "democratic choice of the Israeli people". He hoped Mr Netanyahu would remain as committed to the peace accords as the Palestinians were.
Mr Major said he hoped peace talks would resume "as soon as possible" and promised slightly to increase aid to Mr Arafat's autonomous Palestinian Authority.
Israel's political horse-trading to create a Centre-Right coalition and divide ministerial posts was in full swing yesterday.
The composition of the cabinet may not be known for some weeks.
Mr Netanyahu, speaking at a victory rally in Jerusalem on Sunday, pledged to pursue peace negotiations with Syria and the Palestinians, and called on all Arabs to "join the circle of peace". But, despite the conciliatory tone, President Mubarak said Mr Netanyahu's speech "did not inspire optimism".
Palestinian officials complained that Mr Netanyahu had spoken only of Israel's "Palestinian neighbours" and had not mentioned Mr Arafat or the Palestinian Authority by name.
During the election campaign, Mr Netanyahu said he wanted to achieve a secure peace but would not withdraw from the Golan Heights.
He also said he would prevent the creation of a Palestinian state; would not give up sovereignty in annexed East Jerusalem; and promised to expand Jewish settlements in the West Bank.
This could spell disaster for Mr Arafat, whose tenuous authority depends on the promise that statehood is around the corner and can be achieved through negotiations.
Should Mr Netanyahu destroy that hope, Mr Arafat would find it even more difficult to restrain Islamic militants responsible for suicide bombings in Israel .
An important test of Mr Netanyahu's goodwill will be his decision on whether to withdraw the army from most of Hebron this month, as promised by the outgoing Labour government.
In a sign of growing tension in the city, stone-throwing Palestinians clashed with Israeli soldiers, apparently after troops stopped and searched plainclothes Palestinian policemen.
The Egyptian-Syrian summit took place a day after Lebanon's President Hrawi met Mr Assad in the Syrian coastal resort of Latakia.
On Wednesday, Mr Mubarak will meet King Hussein of Jordan and Mr Arafat in the Red Sea resort of Aqaba.
The Arab press viewed Mr Netanyahu's election with a mixture of apprehension and glee at the embarrassment of the United States and moderate Arab leaders who had pinned their hopes on the re-election of the Labour Prime Minister, Shimon Peres.
"Five years after the peace process began at Madrid, they [the Israelis] have openly said no to peace, even if the peace in question is lopsided in their favour," wrote the London-based al-Shark al-Awsat.
