"We have discussed thoroughly the peace process from all its aspects," Arafat said after meeting with Clinton

January 20, 2000
Web posted at: 8:37 p.m. EST (0137 GMT)

In this story: Talk of moving the deadline Syrian-Israeli talks put off RELATED STORIES, SITES

From staff and wire reports

WASHINGTON -- Talks were to resume Friday between U.S. and Palestinian negotiators seeking to resolve issues keeping Israel and the Palestinians from reaching a peace accord. Meanwhile, Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat described his meeting Thursday with U.S. President Bill Clinton as "fruitful and productive."

"We have discussed thoroughly the peace process from all its aspects," said Arafat, president of the Palestinian Authority. "I gave the president a full briefing on the state of negotiations in the interim and final negotiations, including my last meeting with Mr.(Israeli Prime Minister Ehud) Barak in the last 40 hours."

Israel and the Palestinians have set a February 13 deadline to complete a framework for the final accord, due in September. Unresolved issues include the possible redrawing of some Palestinian-controlled territorial borders, water rights, control of Jerusalem and Palestinian refugees.

U.S.-Palestinian joint committees chaired by Palestinian Planning Minister Nabil Shaath and U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Toni Verstandig were to discuss many of the issues Friday in Washington. Arafat is due to remain in Washington until Saturday.

MESSAGE BOARD Mideast peace   INTERACTIVE MAP Golan Heights: A tug of war for peace

"It's part of the building of a stronger, deeper relationship between the United States and the Palestinian Authority," State Department spokesman James Rubin said.

Clinton, under pressure to speed up the Israeli-Palestinian talks, expressed optimism that both sides can agree on a framework that will lead to a final agreement.

Before his meeting with Arafat, Clinton said neither side could expect to get everything they wanted.

"In any process like this there must be inevitable and difficult compromises," Clinton said.

	. . . . News: Wye River Memorandum Background: Mideast Timeline The West Bank in Brief Key Players Maps: Middle East Israel Land-for-peace deal Interactive: Message board

Talk of moving the deadline

When Clinton was asked if there was a possibility the February deadline would be extended, he said, "I think that will have to be worked out between the two sides. ... And they will work that out."

Earlier Thursday, Secretary of State Madeleine Albright lunched with Arafat at her home in the capital's Georgetown neighborhood.

During the luncheon, Albright told Arafat that "the resolution of the Palestinian track is ... critical to comprehensive peace in the region," said Rubin.

"And she made very clear that the United States does not see the Syria track taking away from our interest and focus on trying to be helpful in resolving the issues between Israel and the Palestinians.

Syrian-Israeli talks put off

Clinton had planned to meet Barak himself this week, along with Syrian Foreign Minister Farouk al-Sharaa. But the third round of revived Israeli-Syrian peace talks was put off because of differences over the fate of the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, which was captured during the 1967 Middle East War.

Rubin said Syrian officials were scheduled to travel to Washington next week, to be followed by Israeli experts, to work on a U.S.-drafted document that could be the basis for a treaty.

Clinton said Wednesday he would take on the task of nudging Syria and Israel along, and that neither side was giving up despite the suspension of talks.

In Damascus, Syria's state-run newspapers urged Washington to push Israel harder to spell out its intentions on returning the Golan Heights.

State Department Correspondent Andrea Koppel, The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.

Note: Pages will open in a new browser window

External sites are not endorsed by CNN Interactive.