February 1, 2000
Web posted at: 11:27 p.m. EST (0427 GMT)

In this story: Israel satisfied with Moscow meeting Russia: Talks will further peace in Middle East Arms control group also may convene RELATED STORIES, SITES

MOSCOW -- Israel and its Arab neighbors have agreed to resume long-dormant Middle East cooperation talks.

The announcement of the talks' resumption came Tuesday at the end of a meeting chaired by the United States and Russia.

Russian and U.S. officials said the revival of four working groups on economic cooperation, water, refugees and the environment would help bilateral negotiations between Israel and its Arab neighbors.

"The activities of the working groups can help lay the groundwork for greater regional cooperation and ensure that all the people of the Middle East reap the benefits from a new era of peace," Russia and the United States said in their statement.

U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, speaking at a news conference after the meeting, praised the agreement. "It is obvious now that it (the multilateral track) is operating alive and well and the issues which need to be discussed have been relaunched," she said.

Israel satisfied with Moscow meeting

Israeli Foreign Minister David Levy, who attended the Moscow meeting, was satisfied with the outcome.

"In our view this gathering succeeded," Levy said.

Arab countries have argued that no progress can be made on regional cooperation without substantial movement on bilateral peace tracks between Israel and its adversaries. Israel had pushed hard for a swift resumption of the working groups, arguing that the whole region would gain from cooperation.

Participating in the talks were representatives from Israel, Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, and the Palestinian Authority. Syria and Lebanon did not have representatives at the Moscow meeting.

Russia: Talks will further peace in Middle East

Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov said the talks had taken place in a constructive, businesslike atmosphere.

"The Moscow meeting gave a hefty push to collective cooperation, the aim of which is post-crisis peaceful construction of the Middle East," he said at the news conference with Albright.

"The main conclusion we have reached is the necessity of increasing the positive dynamic of negotiations, the search for mutually acceptable solutions," he said. "We hope that soon (Syria and Lebanon) will join the multilateral negotiations."

Also attending Tuesday's talks were representatives of the donor countries including the European Union, Japan and Canada.

Arms control group also may meet

The working groups have agreed to meet in four locations during April and May. Egyptian Foreign Minister Amr Moussa said a fifth working group on arms control, inactive for five years, could meet within a few months once an agenda was finalized.

Egypt wants a regional plan to rid the Middle East of weapons of mass destruction, including Israel's alleged nuclear arsenal.

Reuters contributed to this report.

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