September 24, 2007 (LPAC)--Lyndon LaRouche who previously endorsed Shimon Peres's call for peace negotiations with Syria, today reiterated that endorsement saying that such negotiations may open gates. Moreover, he stressed that the current destruction agenda in the Middle East could be changed just by launching negotiations. LaRouche said that Peres is the person uniquely qualified for such a purpose. LaRouche also said he agrees with the proposal that Syrian President Assad should invite Perez to Damascus and offer to attend the peace conference being organized by U.S. Secretary of State Rice in Washington, D.C.

LaRouche rejected the argument on the part of some that Syria and other Arab nations would be justified in wanting nuclear weapons of their own as a deterrent against Israel, which is believed to have as many as 200 nuclear warheads. Instead of such an approach which would lead necessarily to conflict; LaRouche said to stick with nuclear power development with an emphasis on nuclear desalinization in the area. There is not enough territory currently in the Middle East for the current population, let alone a growing population, without nuclear desalination. As he has proposed for decades in his Oasis Plan for the Middle East, LaRouche urged Israel to join its Arab neighbors in a concerted effort to convert desert areas into areas of development. Do this, then the question of Israel having nuclear weapons becomes moot. By moving towards cooperation in this area, you eliminate the question of nuclear weapons parity from the equation. This is the basic principle of the Treaty of Westphalia--act on the basis of the advantage of the other.

LaRouche also emphasized that it is critical to get agreement between Israel and its Arab neighbors on principle. Get something based on principle, he said. Don't try to get a comprehensive solution. The world is not ready for comprehensive solutions. You've got to start down the highway.