Damascus, Syria -- As Israel and three former foes met in Cairo, Egypt, last week, one country that could play a crucial role in a comprehensive peace plan was conspicuously absent.
Indeed, Syrian President Hafez el Assad wasn't even invited to ++ the summit of Israel, Jordan, Egypt and the Palestine Liberation Organization.
Peace has few takers here.
Negotiations with Israel have stalled. And the longer the stalemate lasts, the more both countries stick to their line -- "You first. No, you first" -- and the deeper the public mood sinks.
Six months ago, some shop owners were optimistic about a peace dividend, but those same people now see little chance of cashing in -- even with a deal.
Syrians bluntly view themselves as the losers entering these protracted talks. And nothing that has transpired over the past ,, year has lifted their gloominess about prospects of a "just peace" -- which to them means full return of the Golan Heights, lost in the 1967 Six Day War, and, for some, a resettlement of an estimated 4 million Palestinian refugees.
Some Western diplomats believe that if a peace agreement with Syria isn't reached in the next few months, the opportunity won't come again for several years.
But serious problems with the second phase of the Israeli-Palestinian peace deal have significantly slowed Israeli-Syrian negotiations.
"Is either Syria or Israel desperate for peace? No, and that's a problem," said one diplomat. "I think the Israelis have a certain amount of ambivalence. Things could fall apart. They could decide that the status quo is not that bad. In the meantime, the United States is not going to forever remain engaged in these negotiations."
From December 1993 to December 1994, Secretary of State Warren M. Christopher visited Damascus 14 times. And in that period, President Clinton met twice with Mr. Assad. In October, Mr. Clinton predicted a breakthrough by the end of 1994.
That didn't happen.
What do Syrians want? In recent interviews with about 20 people in the capital, including writers, students, business people and government officials, contradictory themes emerged:
* They want peace, but are extremely cynical about what a deal with Israel means. Many said that they weren't psychologically ready to welcome Israelis.
* They will abide by Mr. Assad's decisions.
For now, Mr. Assad is giving no signals that peace is coming. Several economists said that there is no governmental planning for a post-peace era.
Even some who oppose Mr. Assad oppose peace with Israel.
But one opponent, a prominent landowner who asked to remain anonymous, said that Mr. Assad has started the path to peace and won't be able to change course.
"The situation that the president finds himself in is impossible," the landowner said. "The only way is to make peace. The locomotive has started. It's very difficult to stop the train of peace. The only solution now to solve the economic problem is peace."
Nazih Kawakibi, a professor of architecture at the University of Damascus, also foresaw problems.
"Those people are still strangers to us. It's a conflict of civilizations. It's not so easy to overcome such history," he said. "It's not a matter of accepting Jews. It's a matter of Zionism."
Professor Kawakibi said his generation may never truly accept peace.
"Maybe it will be easier for the next generation."
A former student of his wasn't so sure.
"The older population rejects the negotiations more than the younger people," said Ahmed Moussali, 26, an architect. "The younger people generally have two points of view. One is similar to the older people. The others are more cynical. They don't give a damn if there's peace or not. The feeling is we are a defeated nation. We have reached the bottom point of our defeat. So some are angry, and some don't care."
Another student, Mohammad Nidal, 19, was more optimistic.
"It needs to be a just peace," he said. "And by that I mean neither side can exploit the other economically."
John Donnelly is a reporter for the Knight-Ridder newspapers.