UN in marathon talks for Mideast force observer
Palestine, Politics, 3/26/2001

UN Security Council members attempted yesterday to forge a compromise on Palestinian proposals for a UN observer force in an effort to avert a US veto.

The Palestinians and their supporters insist that any council call to end six months of clashes with Israel must include, at a minimum, a willingness to consider an unarmed military and police observer force.

European nations Britain, France, Ireland and Norway have introduced a draft resolution that makes no mention of international observers to help protect Palestinians on the West Bank and Gaza. But it is not certain if Washington will approve any resolution.

Negotiations are expected to continue throughout the weekend as Arab League foreign ministers prepare for Tuesday's summit in Amman, Jordan where support for the Palestinians is high on the agenda.

Council members are apprehensive' that no resolution would make it difficult for UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan to urge moderation when he addresses the summit. In response to the European draft, Palestinian supporters have produced a list of amendments, one of which expresses the council's readiness to "set up any kind of mechanism to protect Palestinian civilians, including through the establishment of a UN observer force."

Previous Stories:
  One Palestinian killed, 36 wounded in clashes with Israelis   (3/24/2001)
  Palestinian killed in clashes, Sharon refuses commitment to previous agreements   (3/23/2001)
  AL: Jerusalem is a red line that can not be exceeded   (3/23/2001)

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