Moussa, Ben-Ami explore peace issues
Egypt-Israel, Politics, 9/26/2000

Egypt's Foreign Minister Amr Moussa Monday said that his talks with Acting Israeli Foreign Minister Shlomo Ben Ami were important.

"This round of talks was important because it comes prior to the meeting between Palestinian Leader Yasser Arafat and Israeli Premier Ehud Barak as well as the negotiations expected to be resumed between the Palestinian and Israeli negotiators," he added.

"During the talks, Ben Ami expressed Israel's viewpoints regarding a number of major points in the negotiations," he said.

Egypt is in touch with the Palestinian side, he said referring to a contact to be made soon.

Moussa said that he could not go into any details so as to give the Palestinian and Israeli negotiators full chance to reach an understanding or a certain situation either with or without a result. Hoping that they would come up with results, he said in such case we could speak in detail.

Asked whether Ben Ami had made any new proposals concerning Jerusalem or refugees, Moussa said: "We talked about these two issues, but I cannot go into detail."

On deferring the controversial issues and signing a framework agreement that would pave the road to a fine settlement and the idea of reaching a transitional agreement that would give Israel ten-percent of the land, Moussa said that the first idea is not true because the deferment of any problem would mean leaving the issue open. "It is not right and unacceptable," he added.

Regarding the second issue, there is no talk of a temporary agreement again.

On whether there had been any progress or prospects for Palestinians to accept the lowest possible degree of Arabs' right in Jerusalem, Moussa said: "We are not taking of the minimum level, but the acceptable level that can make an agreement strong and that can be accepted by everyone."

He refused to go into any details and called for giving the two sides the chance to negotiate, "let's wait and see", he said

Ben Ami, on his part, said Israel was waiting for the outcome of the American efforts.

"Americans will be contacting Palestinians within the next few weeks, then "we can have an idea on prospects of reaching a framework agreement," he added.

Asked on the Egyptian ideas and whether they were included in this agreement, he said that the Egyptian ideas were always welcomed and Cairo is key player in the region.

"Israel very much respects the ideas of President Mubarak and Moussa, but the focus is now on the Palestinian, Israeli and American sides," he added.

Previous Stories:
  Talks of Ben-Ami in Cairo focus on framework agreement   (9/25/2000)
  Accentuated debate between Moussa and Bin Ami   (9/21/2000)
  Jerusalem is an occupied land   (9/14/2000)

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