Peace Talks Begin, But Hope is Subdued

Dec. 20 -- Optimism was at a low ebb today as President Clinton met with Israeli and Palestinian negotiators in Washington in a bid to revive peace negotiations between the two sides.

Palestinian delegation leader Saeb Erekat, Israeli Foreign Minister Shlomo Ben-Ami, and Clinton met for 45 minutes of talks today in the White House Cabinet Room.

Afterwards, Erekat told reporters: “I don’t want to raise anybody’s expectations. We’re having very, very serious discussions. But at the same time, we’re facing major difficulties and serious differences.”

Ben-Ami was more optimistic, telling reporters; “These are very, very serious negotiations with a spirit that may lead to the conclusion of an agreement if we maintain the same spirit.”

The president spent his time with the negotiators today outlining how he thought theyshould proceed during this week, said White House Spokesman P.J. Crowley at a news briefing in Washington today.

Talks would continue through the evening, and are expected to continue through Saturday, he said.

Secretary of State Madeleine Albright was expected to join negotiations on Thursday.

Meanwhile, envoys from both sides were holding separate talks with U.S. mediators at the Bolling Air Force Base near Washington, D.C.

On their arrival in Washington on Tuesday, neither side was optimistic the talks could put an end to 11 weeks of conflict in which more than 330 people have been killed in the worst Israeli-Palestinian violence in years.

Hopes were further dampened by fresh violence in Gaza today.

Low ExpectationsErekat has insisted that Israel withdraw to its borders before the 1967 war when it annexed the West Bank and East Jerusalem.

“There is no other equation, so it’s time for Israel to withdraw its troops and to decide whether it wants to go down the path of peace, or no peace,” he said.

But Israeli Cabinet minister Amnon Lipkin-Shahak, who prepared the ground for the negotiations in talks with Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, said that while he doubted the talks would produce a deal, he expected some progress.