Secret contacts between Barak and Arafat

The Israeli daily Haartez said on Sunday that the Israeli prime Minister Ehud Barak is more inclined to run the negotiations himself with the Palestinian government in order to reach an agreement concerning the final settlement., through making contacts with the Palestinian President Yasser Arafat.

The paper added, according to the Israeli radio, that these negotiations will be held through convening separate and close- meeting between Barak and Arafat as well as making secret contacts between personal envoys for Barak, noting that such contacts have been made actually since several weeks.

The radio added that Barak had promised members of his government last week to form the negotiating team with the Palestinians for the final settlement, yet, Barak's divan has not issued any announcement so far about such a team.