Clinton pledges efforts to establish Middle East peace
Israel-USA, Politics, 7/16/1999

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak has started a visit to the US and met with several US officials, foremost being President Bill Clinton, Vice President Al Gore, and Secretary of State Madeleine Albright.

President Clinton on Thursday stressed that his country will continue its efforts to establish peace in the Middle East.

In a joint press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak at the White House rose garden, the US president said, "As we have seen before here at this house, as Israelis, Palestinians, Egyptians and Jordanians have come together, what at first seems unlikely, even impossible, can actually become reality when the will for peace is strong."

The US president indicated that it is the task of the sides concerned to find the way to peace, noting that it is not the task of the US to judge causes on the final status concerning the Palestinian track.

Barak, for his part, promised to promote the Middle East peace and to restore it on all tracks. He expressed his hope that his visit to Washington will open a new phase in the Middle East peace process. He said, "I think that the United States can contribute to the process more as facilitator than as a kind of policeman, judge and arbitrator at the same time."

He stressed that, "Without United States participation, contribution, and without the leadership that had been shown in the past by the President -- and I hope will be shown in the future by the American administration -- we won't be able to reach a peace."

Previous Stories:
  Demirel holds talks with Barak   (7/15/1999)
  Talks between Barak and King Abdullah   (7/15/1999)
  Report: President al-Assad refuses Barak's appeal   (7/14/1999)
  Barak orders increased Israeli - Palestinian security cooperation   (7/13/1999)

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