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Clinton Meets Israeli, Palestinian Negotiators
US President Bill Clinton Wednesday met with Israeli and Palestinian negotiators at the White House to help the two sides to move forward in the ongoing talks designed to end the Middle East violence and find way back to the peace process.
"The president wants to take stock, see where they are and decide whether there is anything we can do to be helpful to move the process forward," White House spokesman told reporters before the meeting.
"He is ready to do whatever he can do to help, but ultimately we're on the parties' timetable. It's up to them to make the hard decision," he said.
He said the White House was not now contemplating any travel by Clinton to the Middle East region.
Emerging from the meeting which was held early Wednesday afternoon and lasted less than an hour, Israeli Foreign Minister Shlomo Ben-Ami said Clinton outlined what he sees as the essential parameters of the negotiations, or of a possible agreement.
"The general feeling is that these are very, very serious negotiations with a spirit that may lead to the conclusion of an agreement if we maintain the same spirit throughout," he said.
"The remarks, the reflections of the president, were very helpful, and we are going to get back now to the negotiating table. I trust that this spirit will continue to prevail," he added.
In a general comment on the ongoing talks which began Tuesday with mediation by U.S. officials, Ben-Ami said, "I think that we are having very fruitful negotiations in a new and positive spirit with out Palestinian partners."
Speaking in a less optimistic tone, Palestinian Chief Negotiator Saeb Erekat said at a press conference following the meeting with Clinton that the Palestinian side reiterated its position to the president as far as its commitment to achieve a comprehensive peace in all issues pertaining to the permanent status negotiations -- Jerusalem, settlement, refugees, borders and water.
He said the negotiations should lead to the implementation of UN resolutions 242 and 338 which call for withdrawal of the Israeli forces to the June 4, 1967, border, and a solution to the refugee problem, in accordance with Resolution 194.
As to whether or not there should be a trilateral summit at this stage, Erekat responded, "Nobody wants to convene a trilateral summit and to have a failure."
"It's expressed by the American president, it's expressed by President (Yasser) Arafat, and expressed by Prime Minister (Ehud) Barak that unless we can ensure a success of the trilateral summit, I don't think it's advisable to convene one," he added.
According to Ben-Ami, U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, who also took part in the White House meeting with Clinton, is expected to join the negotiators on Thursday.
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