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Mubarak, Clinton Discuss Palestinian-Israeli Peace Talks
Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and US President Bill Clinton on Monday discussed details of the recent Palestinian-Israeli negotiations in Washington.
During a telephone conversation initiated by Clinton, the two leaders exchanged views on the five-day Washington talks, which ended last Saturday, and obstacles to reaching an accord between the two sides, Egypt's official Middle East News Agency reported.
They reviewed Clinton's proposals of compromise on East Jerusalem, the refugees' right of return to their homeland and the borders of a future Palestinian state, raised by the outgoing US president at the end of the talks.
Clinton has demanded Palestinian and Israeli leaders to make their final decisions by Wednesday on his proposals aimed at helping push forward the peace talks.
Palestinian and Israeli negotiators started separate talks with US officials last Tuesday in a last-ditch effort to find common ground to resume the stalled peace process before Clinton leaves office on January 20.
Mubarak, who met Monday with visiting Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat on the Washington talks, also called Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak in the day to discuss the US peace plan, the news agency said.
Mubarak, Arafat Discuss Peace Negotiations Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak met on Monday with Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat to discuss ideas from the recent Palestinian-Israeli talks in Washington and obstacles to the negotiations.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Egyptian Foreign Minister Amr Moussa said the outcome of the US-sponsored negotiations, which wound up in Washington on Saturday, and US President Bill Clinton's proposals to the two sides, were still "under discussion and close study."
Moussa said that he "had nothing new" to announce now that all proposals were under discussion, adding that it was premature to make any statements at this "serious and crucial" moment, Egypt's official Middle East News Agency reported.
He said, however, that there was still "a door open" that could lead to progress in the peace talks, and expressed hope that the coming few days would witness the survival chance of peace if "a positive development" takes place.
Arafat has returned to Gaza after a short visit to consult with Mubarak on the outcome of the Washington talks, especially the US peace plan proposed by Clinton, before making response to the US outgoing president by Wednesday.
Palestinian and Israeli negotiators started their separate talks with U.S. officials on Tuesday in a last-ditch effort to find a common ground to resume the stalled peace process before Clinton leaves office on January 20.
At the end of the talks on Saturday, Clinton proposed a compromise initiative on East Jerusalem, the return of the Palestinian refugees and the border of a future Palestinian state. He demanded the two sides to make final decisions by Wednesday.
Moussa said that Arafat's visit came within regular consultations with Mubarak, as part of the intensive efforts and contacts to reach an accord between the Palestinians and Israelis.
Arafat frequently visits Egypt to consult with and get advice from Mubarak, who has been playing a major mediatory role in the Middle East peace process.
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