Palestinian - Israeli talks on Sunday

The Israeli- Palestinian joint committee is due to resume its meetings on Sunday, August 13.

The committee would tackle means of settling disputes between the two sides concerning the timetable for implementing the next stage of the Wye River accord, specifically after the three previous meetings, the most recent of which took place on August 11, failed to reconcile points of view between the two sides.

Israeli sources said yesterday that the two sides are currently seeking to draft a formula for an acceptable compromise.

The sources said that the elements of the compromise can be summarized as follows:

1- Starting implementation of Wye River accord on September 1, at the same time as US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright is to begin her tour of the region.

2- Continuing the Israeli withdrawal from the West Bank according to the Wye accord's items until January 1, 2000.

3- Israeli approval on allowing the Palestinians to start building Gaza harbor before reaching an agreement concerning security arrangements and means of inspecting the goods imported to it.

4- Israel should present economic and trade facilities for the Palestinians including allowing the Palestinians to increase their imports through Jordan.

Meanwhile, chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat announced that the Israeli - Palestinian joint committee is to meet once more on Sunday to discuss the schedule for implementation of the Wye River accord.