The Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat, has held talks in Washington with President Clinton, in the latest attempt to break the deadlock in the Middle East peace process. Talks earlier this week between President Clinton and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ended with no sign of progress. Reporting Mr Arafat's talks, Palestinian radio said he had welcomed US "pressure" on Israel. This is how the Palestinian and Israeli media have reported this week's meetings:

Arafat hails US "pressure" on Israel - Palestinian report

Excerpts from report by Palestinian radio on 22nd January

... The president [Yasser Arafat] affirmed the PNA's [Palestinian National Authority] readiness to take steps on the security issue provided that they do not undermine the Palestinian goal of establishing an independent Palestinian state.

For his part, the US president informed the president that he did not approve of the ideas put forth by Netanyahu.

President Clinton also proposed the holding of a Palestinian-Israeli meeting to bridge the gap between the two sides.

Arafat: Welcomed Clinton's efforts

The summit meeting between President Yasir Arafat and US President Bill Clinton convened this evening in a bid to salvage the faltering peace process because of Israeli intransigence and the Tel Aviv government's failure to implement signed accords.

During his meeting with President Clinton this evening, President Yasir Arafat commended the US president's efforts to render the peace process a success. The president added:

[Arafat - recording] As long as President Clinton is applying pressure [on Israel] and making an effort, I trust fully that the campaign of success will be protected ... [End of recording]

During his meeting with the president, Clinton underlined the principles of the peace process, including the land-for-peace formula, which must be heeded if the Palestinian people are to achieve their aspirations and if the Israelis are to live in peace.

Additionally, the US president emphasized the need to honour the commitments and obligations enshrined in signed accords ...

Source: Voice of Palestine, Ramallah, in Arabic 1900 gmt 22 Jan 98

Netanyahu back from USA, no date set for more contacts

Excerpts from report by Israel radio on 22nd January

Prime Minister Benjanin Netanyahu has returned to Israel from his visit to the United States ...

Our political correspondent Yoni Ben-Menahem reports that prior to his departure from the United States, the prime minister met Secretary of State Albright at the airport and spoke to President Clinton on the telephone.

Latest talks failed to end deadlock

Cabinet Secretary Dani Nave said that in the Albright-Netanyahu meeting, the sides discussed the agreements reached during the prime minister's visit and defined the gaps that still remain.

No decisions have been made yet about a timetable for continued contacts with the United States.

Dani Nave said that the US Administration will assess the situation following Yasir Arafat's talks in Washington and will decide on the continuation of the contacts based on the responses it receives from Arafat ...

Source: Voice of Israel, Jerusalem, in Hebrew 1300 gmt 22 Jan 98

Israeli source says Netanyahu-Clinton talks "war of attrition"

Excerpt from report by Israel radio on 21st January

... Various ideas are being discussed in a lengthy series of meetings between Benjamin Netanyahu, the members of his entourage and senior US officials, including Vice-President Al Gore, Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, and National Security Adviser Sandy Berger.

Our correspondents report that the United States is prepared for Israel to carry out a phased second redeployment in conjunction with the gradual implementation of the Palestinian commitments.

At the same time, Washington is asking Israel to begin implementing the withdrawal immediately as a show of goodwill. Meanwhile, the Palestinians will start upholding their side of the agreement.

A source in the prime minister's entourage described the prolonged meetings between Netanyahu and the US officials as a war of attrition and claimed that the Americans are trying to extort concessions from the prime minister.

The source noted that so far, the Americans have failed to extract any concessions from Mr Netanyahu.

BBC Monitoring(http://www.monitor.bbc.co.uk), based in Caversham in southern England, selects and translates information from radio, television, press, news agencies and the Internet from 150 countries in more than 70 languages.
 

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