Clinton Joins Historic Mideast Summit

T H U R M O N T, Md., July 11 -- Getting a grip on what he called the “profound and wrenching questions” before the Middle East summit, President Clinton opened his high-risk mission with private conversations with each side.

“There can be no success without principled compromise,” the president warned his guests before the formal talks began. Sitting down first with Palestinian chairman Yasser Arafat, President Clinton used Aspen Lodge, the same rough-hewn cabin that President Jimmy Carter occupied during the landmark summit in which Israel won its very first treaty with an Arab neighbor 22 years ago. The two men talked for about half an hour.

Next came Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak, who arrived at Camp David at dawn today, fresh from a bitter challenge from within his own governing coalition that failed by a slim margin of votes to topple his government. He spent about 45 minutes with Clinton on the back porch of Aspen Lodge.

All three leaders then strolled together to a central cabin, Laurel Lodge, in the only photo-op scheduled as their work began.

At the doorway, there was an awkward moment as each leader held back, trying to let the others enter first. Arafat and Barak went back and forth several times, laughing as each one tried to push the other in first.

Arafat wound up going in first, followed by Barak. The moment ended in laughter, and Clinton brushed away reporters’ questions saying the three have made their first agreement: to keep silent about their talks.

“We pledged we wouldn’t say anything,” Clinton said.

Clinton Pledges ‘Unequivocal Support’ Leading up to the summit, Clinton tried to sound optimistic, but also realistic, noting “there is no guarantee of success,” for this round of negotiations.

“But not to try is to guarantee failure,” he warned. The president insisted that both Arafat and Barak have demonstrated they are committed to reaching an agreement, and said the leaders have the “patience and creativity and courage” needed for the intractible issues at hand.