Erekat: Barak talks more than acts

Palestinian chief negotiator Saeb Erekat accused Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak of talking a lot about peace, while not proceeding with the peace process.

Erekat, moreover, called on Barak not lose the current chance to reach peace in Middle East and to understand that the Palestinian issue is the core of the Arab - Israeli struggle, adding that without a settlement of this issue there will be no peace in the region.

He also said Palestinian President Yasser Arafat has refused the demands of Barak to delay the Wye River accord and called on the latter to implement it, purely and accurately.

Erekat was asked about the disagreement concerning this accord, replying that it is an international agreement based on international legitimacy and that the Palestinians hope Barak will stop his attempts to merge the transitional and final stages together because it is unacceptable.