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After Camp David, another summit imminent |
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August 17, 2000
JERUSALEM (AP) - Three weeks after the breakdown of peace talks at Camp David, Israel and the Palestinians on Wednesday resumed high-level preparations for another possible Mideast summit. Negotiators held talks at an undisclosed location, officials from both sides said, speaking on condition of anonymity. U.S. President Bill Clinton's envoy, Dennis Ross, was to arrive in the region Thursday to gauge prospects for a second summit. Israeli and Palestinian officials have stayed in touch since negotiations at Camp David, the U.S. presidential retreat, broke down July 25 in a dispute over Jerusalem. However, Wednesday marked the first time both sides dispatched senior officials. Israel was represented by Shlomo Ben-Ami, the acting foreign minister, and Gilead Sher, a veteran negotiator. The Palestinians sent Cabinet minister Saeb Erekat and Mohammed Dahlan, the security chief in Gaza. Noticeably absent was Ben-Ami's counterpart, Palestinian Parliament Speaker Ahmed Qureia, who left for a three-day visit to India as head of a parliamentary delegation. Ben-Ami has said that at Camp David, understandings were reached on the borders of a Palestinian state, the fate of Jewish settlements and security arrangements. However, nothing was put on paper, because remained on all issues. Israeli and Palestinian officials have cautioned that a second summit would only be convened once it became clear that both sides were close to an agreement.
Ben-Ami was cautious Wednesday. "While it is true that progress was made at Camp David, it is forbidden to raise expectations to the sky because the issues are very difficult," Ben-Ami told Israel radio. In Washington, a senior U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Clinton is prepared to host a second session with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat if they are ready to make decisions on the crucial issues, including the future of Jerusalem. Israel has offered the Palestinians limited control in parts of traditionally Arab east Jerusalem, while Arafat has demanded sovereignty over the entire sector. The U.S. official said there could be new formulations of last month's positions that might be acceptable to both sides a second time around. In a tour of Arab capitals, Arafat has gained backing to agree to any formula he deems honorable, the official said. On Tuesday, four top Palestinian negotiators, including Qureia, held lengthy talks with senior Egptian officials in Cairo, leading to speculation that Egypt is involved in attempts to reach a compromise over the question of who will have control over adjacent Jewish and Muslim holy site in Jerusalem's walled Old City. Israeli Cabinet minister Shimon Peres, meanwhile, told Chinese Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan in talks in Beijing on Wednesday that a peace agreement is possible "within months," but cautioned that talks could collapse if Arafat goes ahead with a unilateral proclamation of Palestinian independence on Sept. 13, the treaty deadline. With negotiations gaining new momentum, Israel's hawkish opposition parties tried to restrict Barak's ability to make concessions. In a special parliament session, tentatively set for Aug. 28, legislators will debate an opposition bill which would prohibit Barak from conducting peace treaty talks since he has lost his Knesset majority. Such a bill would likely get a majority, but according to legal experts would not be binding. The opposition and defectors from Barak's coalition can only stop his peace efforts if they pass a motion of no-confidence with an absolute majority of 61 legislators in the 120-member parliament. Such a vote would force new elections. However, Reuven Rivlin, a senior legislator in the opposition Likud Party, said it might be difficult for the time being to topple Barak. Rivlin said that while a majority of his colleagues oppose Barak's peace policies, "not all of them are willing to go to elections." |
