Albright to travel to Middle East to help speed Israeli-Palestinian talks

June 2, 2000
Web posted at: 12:57 a.m. EDT (0457 GMT)

In this story: Hard-liners object to Jerusalem discussions 'June is very important' RELATED STORIES, SITES

From staff and wire reports

LISBON, Portugal -- U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright will travel to the Middle East next week to try to remove obstacles blocking an Israeli-Palestinian peace deal.

U.S. President Bill Clinton made the announcement after a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak in Lisbon Portugal. Barak's trip to Lisbon to meet the U.S. president highlighted one of the chief obstacles to a settlement -- the future of Jerusalem.

The meeting fell on Israel's Jerusalem Day, a day of celebration to mark the anniversary of the day in 1967 that Israeli forces took control of Arab East Jerusalem.

Barak's meeting with Clinton, which had been originally scheduled for Berlin later in the day, was moved forward so the prime minister could return to Israel in time for the celebrations.

Barak did not want to miss the celebrations and leave himself open to charges from opponents that he had shifted from his previously espoused position that "Jerusalem will remain forever Israel's permanent and undivided capital."

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The hard-line nationalists and religious nationalists who shape much of the celebrations of Jerusalem Day object to the future of Jerusalem even being a subject for negotiations with the Palestinians.

But Barak supporters argue that not discussing Jerusalem would be counterproductive.

"By not referring to Jerusalem in the context of a permanent solution, Jerusalem will not become recognized as our capital," said Israeli Justice Minister Yossi Beilin.

"Only negotiations on Jerusalem will make this very important city the capital of Israel, recognized not only by the U.S. but by the whole world," Beilin said.

Barak is also facing criticism over his proposal to hand over villages near Jerusalem to Palestinian control.

Palestinian negotiators are determined to make East Jerusalem the capital of a Palestinian state and demand that Israel withdraws to the boundaries that existed in the city before the 1967 war.

Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erakat said Israeli leaders "... must prepare the Israeli public that in order to make peace with the Palestinians, the June 1967 boundaries will be sacred and East Jerusalem cannot be anything but the Palestinian state."

Other intractable issues facing Albright will be the questions of refugees, borders and Israeli settlements.

Clinton said that during Albright's trip next week she would work with Barak and Palestinian President Yasser Arafat "on narrowing the gap that still remains between them."

An Israeli government spokesman said Albright would arrive on Monday and hold separate talks with Barak and Arafat. Clinton said he would meet Arafat after his return to Washington next week.

A senior Israeli official told reporters that Israel and the Palestinians were trying to set the stage for an intensive Arafat-Barak-Clinton summit soon.

Referring to the meeting between Barak's and Clinton, the official said: "The month of June is very important. ... If you ask me, the leaders who sat in the room saw an importance in advancing the peace process during the month of June."

Both sides aim to reach a framework accord by mid-June. The deadline for a final peace treaty is September 13.

Arafat has warned that he will declare an independent Palestinian state on that date, whether there is an agreement with Israel or not.

Barak appeared to place the blame for the lack of progress in the talks on the Palestinians. "In recent weeks, we have seen some dragging of feet in regard to the running of negotiations," Barak said.

But speaking in Gaza, Arafat replied, "They (Israel) are slowing things down and they (Israel) are wasting time."

Barak's office said in a statement that following the meeting with Clinton, "Israel hopes the Palestinians will take all the necessary measures in order to advance the process."

The statement added: "Israel now anticipates a renewal of the talks with the Palestinians on all tracks and with all-out momentum with the objective of making progress toward achieving a framework agreement in the near future."

Clinton said he was convinced both sides were committed to reaching an agreement. "It is within view now," he said.

Clinton said that Barak and Arafat were both ready "to do things that they have not done in the past with real courage and vision."

Barak told reporters in Lisbon that Israel would not close the door on peacemaking with Syria, which stalled in January.

"A small opening is still there in the Syria track ... and we will not close it," he said.

Correspondent Jerrold Kessel
and Reuters contributed to this report.

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