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Sharon Rules Out Peres-Arafat Meeting in Spain
Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres will not hold a formal meeting with Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat at an economic forum in Majorca, Spain this weekend, Israel Radio reported Thursday.
This was decided by Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon after his meeting with Peres Wednesday night, said the report.
Peres was quoted as saying that he did not talk with Sharon about the meeting with Arafat because there was not a fixed subject, saying that he would meet with Arafat during some social activities to exchange views on issues of common concern.
However, Peres defended the meeting with Arafat by saying that as a foreign minister, he should have the right to meet the Palestinian leader.
"In any case, Israeli and Palestinian representatives meet twice a week, we talk all the time to try to reach a ceasefire," said the foreign minister, noting that "why can generals meet, but the foreign ministers can't hold a meeting?"
"The problem is not the meeting, it's the drama of the meeting," he added.
Peres once again tried to downplay expectations of the meeting, saying that if he meets Arafat, they will not engage in negotiations.
During their overnight meeting, Peres and Sharon were also expected to discuss a new peace plan proposed by Peres, which reportedly includes the establishment of a Palestinian state and Israeli evacuation from the Gaza Strip.
Israeli diplomatic sources said that any plan by Peres would be irrelevant unless it is endorsed by Sharon.
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