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Barak Meets Russian Envoy, Urges Palestinian Flexibility
If Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat refused to show flexibility in the peace talks, there will be no peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians, said Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak here on Monday.
Barak made the remark while meeting with visiting Russian Deputy Foreign Minister and special Middle East peace envoy Vasili Sredin.
During the meeting, the two exchanged views on how to move the Middle East peace process forward, according to the Prime Minister's Office.
"We do not know with any certainty where Arafat is heading and the leadership is tested by its ability to make painful decisions...We proved at Camp David that we are prepared for this, but Arafat has still not done so, and if he doesn't show flexibility and openness soon, there will be no agreement," Barak told Sredin.
The 15-day Camp David summit in the United States ended on July 25 without producing a framework agreement on the Israeli-Palestinian final-status issues including the fate of Jerusalem, borders, Palestinian refugees and Jewish settlements.
Barak also expressed his appreciation for Russia's reservations regarding a possible unilateral declaration of a Palestinian state on September 13, as repeatedly warned by Arafat, and said that the international community's stance will undoubtedly influence Arafat's positions.
In his recent visit to Moscow, Arafat was told that Russia does not oppose an independent Palestinian state, but the timing for declaration should be carefully considered as the Israeli-Palestinian negotiations are at a critical stage.
Sredin told Barak that he feels the negotiations are at a critical stage and the near future will prove decisive for the future of the process.
He added that President Vladimir Putin attaches great importance to his ties with Barak and expects to continue the dialogue between them at their upcoming meeting in New York when attending the United Nations General Assembly meeting.
Sredin is currently on a Middle East tour to promote Russia's role in the peace process. He had already met with Arafat at the West Bank city of Ramallah on Sunday.
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