Palestinian file could never be closed

Egyptian Foreign Minister Amr Moussa affirmed Wednesday that issues which figured high on the agenda of Palestinian-Israeli negotiations could not be relinquished if right-winger Likud Party Leader Ariel Sharon wins the coming Israeli elections.

Al Quds (Jerusalem), refugees and borders have been discussed in detail by the two parties and progress has been achieved in spite of the difference in viewpoints, Moussa reaffirmed in an interview with Le Monde Newspaper.

"Israel's reluctance to embark on the recent Taba negotiations made Arabs suspicious of the reality of Israel's intentions," Moussa added.

Moussa described the Taba talks as important and serious, despite the gap between the Palestinian and Israeli views on the issues of borders, lands, security, refugees and Jerusalem.

Moussa said that the final communique of the Taba talks asserted there is no contradiction between the statement and Palestinian President Yasser Arafat's proposals before the World Economic Forum in Davos.

Moussa made it clear that Palestinians would not accept a compromise, especially after the eruption of A1 Aqsa Intifada and the Arab nation's keenness on the implementation of international legitimacy resolutions.

Moussa refrained from commenting on the performance of the new US Administration regarding the Middle East. He, meantime, deplored the less active EU role in the recent period.

"Although France has been playing its role within the framework of the EU, no positive development had been made in the EU stance vis-a-vis Middle East issues during the French Presidency of the Union which ended on December 31," Moussa concluded.