Israeli Minister Holds Secret Talks With Top Palestinian LegislatorIsraeli Regional Cooperation Minister Shimon Peres Tuesday morning held secret talks with Palestinian Legislative Council Speaker Ahmed Qurei (Abu Ala).During the clandestine meeting, Peres reportedly submitted several "new ideas", which he hoped could break the current deadlock in the Israeli-Palestinian peace process following the botched Camp David summit last month, Israel Radio quoted Palestinian sources as saying. Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak's office and Peres's spokesman all refused to confirm the meeting or elaborate on the exact details of these "new ideas." Peres also explained the political situation in Israel to Qurei, the number two figure after Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, and urged the Palestinians to be more flexible in the negotiations, according to Israel Radio reports. The two officials will meet again, the reports added. The meeting indicates that Peres, who was dealt with a humiliating blow in the presidential ballot in the Knesset (Parliament) on July 31, has swiftly recuperated and returned to the political spotlight. The former prime minister, who won a Nobel Peace Prize in 1994 for his efforts to masterplan the landmark Oslo Accords between Israel and the Palestinians, is regarded by many Arab politicians as a persuasive and believable person. Some officials in Barak's One Israel coalition even urged the prime minister to nominate Peres as Foreign Minister to replace David Levy, who resigned last Wednesday due to disputes over Barak's negotiating approaches at the Camp David summit. The summit, attended by Barak, Arafat, and US President Bill Clinton, lasted 15 days and failed to reach an agreement finally on core issues between the two sides, especially on the fate of Jerusalem and the return of Palestinian refugees. |
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