U.S. tries to discourage Palestinian opponents from meeting with Arafat

Foes talk to Albright on fourth day of Mideast summit

July 14, 2000
Web posted at: 2:50 p.m. EDT (1850 GMT)

In this story: U.S. message: 'Positive atmosphere' Breaking up into small groups Clinton holds separate talks with leaders Golf carts in fender-bender RELATED STORIES, SITES

CAMP DAVID, Maryland (CNN) -- U.S. negotiators are trying to keep Palestinian opponents of Yasser Arafat from interfering with ongoing Middle East peace talks at secluded Camp David, Maryland, White House spokesman Joe Lockhart said on Friday.

Earlier, U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright met with six opponents and two supporters of Palestinian Authority President Arafat. The Palestinians said they wanted to talk to Arafat about his negotiations with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak.

During her meeting with the group, Albright discussed the peace talks in general terms only, so as not to violate a strictly enforced information blackout of the talks, Lockhart said.

VIDEO A review of the fundamental issues, from CNN's Jerrold Kessel QuickTime Play Real 28K 80K Windows Media 28K 80K CNN Jerusalem Bureau Chief Mike Hanna explains how the summit is affecting Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak's popularity at home Real 28K 80K Windows Media 28K 80K     MESSAGE BOARD Mideast peace

Attending the meeting with Albright were Arafat opponents Suleiman Najab, Samir Ghosheh, Hanan Ashrawi, Dr. Iyad Sarraj, and two Arafat supporters, Jamil Tarifi and Nabil Amr.

A seventh Palestinian opponent, Tayseet Khalid, did not attend the Albright meeting, saying he wants to meet first with Arafat.

Albright and the delegation left the 30-minute meeting at the Recreational Center at Emmitsburg, Maryland, without comment.

The discussion, Lockhart said, was intended to discourage a potential meeting between the opposition group and Arafat himself, as he tries to negotiate the so-called core issues of the peace process: the status of Jerusalem, borders and the fate of Palestinian refugees.

Negotiators are under some pressure to make progress before U.S. President Bill Clinton travels to Japan as scheduled on Monday to attend a summit of the Group of Eight industrialized nations.

However, Clinton has said there are no "artificial deadlines" in the talks.

In addition, both the Israelis and Palestinians have previously set a September 13 deadline for a final peace agreement.

Lockhart said another reason why U.S. negotiators were discouraging the Palestinian opposition from involvement in the talks was to maintain the intended "spirit" of the summit.

He suggested that the Palestinian opposition's presence at the summit could spoil the intended "positive atmosphere" surrounding the difficult talks.

"I wouldn't completely rule out the possibility that at some point (Arafat) might want to go see them," Lockhart said. "At this point we want to keep the focus on the negotiating that's going on at Camp David."

Sources tell CNN that Arafat may want his foes to demonstrate to U.S. officials the strength of the opposition he faces among his own people. The Palestinian leader also may want to emphasize that any Mideast peace deal will have to be accepted by his opponents.

Breaking up into small groups

Clinton began the fourth day of the summit on Friday by meeting with his U.S. negotiating team. "During the day he'll continue his previous efforts meeting with both delegations and leaders," Lockhart said.

Negotiators were expected to break up into small groups based on separate core issues involved in the peace process, Lockhart said.

He described the talks so far as "serious and, at times, tense."

Clinton holds separate talks with leaders

On Thursday night, Clinton met one-on-one with Israeli negotiator Shlomo Ben Ami on the back porch of the presidential cabin. Afterward, Clinton and Ben Ami attended a dinner with about 30 members of all three delegations, including Arafat and Barak, Lockhart said.

Following dinner, Clinton held separate discussions on the core issues with both leaders, the White House spokesman said.

Saturday's scheduled discussions are expected to be entirely informal to accommodate the Islamic and Jewish Sabbaths, Lockhart said.

Golf carts in fender-bender

The White House spokesman also indicated that the main mode of transportation on the Camp David grounds, the golf cart, was proving to be a problem for some summit participants.

Two negotiators got into a "fender-bender" recently, Lockhart said. The two negotiators were from the same delegation.

"Not everyone has equal capability in negotiating a golf cart as they do the issues," Lockhart said.

CNN Senior White House Corresponedent John King, and CNN Producer Larry Register contributed to this report.

Arafat, Barak 'grappling with core issues' at Camp David summit
July 13, 2000
Clinton prepared to force discussion of compromises at Mideast summit, officials say
July 12, 2000
Clinton convenes historic Mideast peace summit
July 11, 2000
Arafat arrives in Maryland, Barak en route to Mideast peace summit
July 10, 2000
Camp David summit to open with toughest issues unresolved
July 10, 2000
Israel's Barak survives no-confidence vote
July 10, 2000
No-confidence votes may delay by 'a few hours' Barak's flight to summit in U.S.
July 9, 2000
Mideast negotiators to meet in advance of Camp David summit
July 8, 2000

The Israeli Government's Official Website, by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Knesset - The Israeli Parliament
Palestinian National Authority Home Page
U.N. Information System: Palestine
Near Eastern Affairs: Middle East Peace Process
Camp David Accords
U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright

Note: Pages will open in a new browser window

External sites are not endorsed by CNN Interactive.