Wednesday, September 20, 2000, updated at 22:48(GMT+8)
World
Palestinian Side To Suspend Negotiations With Israel
A senior Palestinian negotiator said on Wednesday that the Palestinian leadership decided to suspend negotiations with Israel until its stance on the peace talks becomes obvious and clear.
Palestinian Preventive Security chief in Gaza, Mohammad Dahlan, said the decision was taken early Wednesday morning at a meeting of the higher committee of negotiations presided over by Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.
He stressed that Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak should make clear first whether to resume or suspend the negotiations. The Palestinian-Israeli direct peace talks were restarted on Monday.
Barak's office said on Tuesday that Israel decided to suspend the negotiations with the Palestinians, but it indicated in a statement later that the two sides will continue talks Wednesday with a view to explore the prospects of the renewal of the final status negotiations.
A senior Palestinian negotiator said on Wednesday that the Palestinian leadership decided to suspend negotiations with Israel until its stance on the peace talks becomes obvious and clear.