Mideast Negotiators Say Talks to Resume TodayStalled Middle East peace talks will resume Thursday in New York with the United States brokering the negotiations, Israeli and Palestinian officials said Wednesday.Israeli Acting Foreign Minister Shlomo Ben Ami and Palestinian Information Minister Yasser Abed Rabbo both said Wednesday that their negotiators are either already in New York or are planning to arrive there Thursday. The White House would neither confirm nor deny the announcements, though White House staffers did confirm that Ben Ami met with U.S. National Security Adviser Samuel Berger on Wednesday, and that direct United States involvement in the talks was discussed. Rabbo said a "surprise" invitation to New York came from Secretary of State Madeleine Albright , and that Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat met with his negotiations steering committee Wednesday to discuss the invitation. He said Palestinian negotiators Saeb Erakat and Mohammed Dahlan are to arrive in New York on Thursday to resume the talks. |
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