U.S embassy transfer to Jerusalem would jeopardize Mideast peace process, Indyk says

The transfer of the U.S embassy from Tel-Aviv to Al-Quds (Jerusalem) would put the Middle-East peace process in peril, said U.S Undersecretary of State for the Near East and North Africa Martin Indyk.

President Bill Clinton made it clear that he would not make any action likely to hamper the peace process, Indyk said at a hearing on "the latest developments in the Middle East," organized by the International Relations Committee at the U.S House of Representatives.

The U.S House of Representatives had adopted a resolution requesting the transfer of the U.S embassy from Tel-Aviv to al-Quds on May 31, 1999 at the latest. The resolution leaves to the U.S president the possibility to defer the transfer measure if he deems it necessary.

Indyk recalled that the future of al-Quds is part of the issues to be debated in the final status negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians.

The American government wants to avoid any action likely to harm the results of the final status negotiations, Indyk said, adding that the Palestinians were also called to abstain from any unilateral action.