Report: More normalization with Israel cultivated by Albright
The Paris-based al-Muharrir news said in a special report from London that US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright has quickly cultivated the fruits of her tiring and persistent efforts since Ehud Barak assumed power in Israel to open Arab normalization doors in his face.
The report said that Albright received during October initial approval from five Arab states to establish trade and economic relations on an intermediate level with Israel, but with a "low voice."
The report said Arab Gulf diplomatic sources in Washington said that what had been reported by Israeli papers last week that Israeli delegations made secret visits to three capitals, two of which are from the Arab Gulf region -- namely Kuwait and Manama -- and the third visit was held to Sanaa, during which the Israeli delegations reached of a series of agreements were but part of the "bitter reality" imposed by the Clinton administration against some Arab states.
The report indicated that two Israeli delegations made secret visits to Algeria and Tunisia and that talks during the five visits were expanded in searching for trade and consulative relations and discussed in-depth matters relating to security and military cooperation, the exchange of expertise in the two areas and close cooperation on the question of fighting terrorism.
The Gulf diplomatic sources quoted an official at the US State Department as saying that the agreements between the Israeli delegations and the officials in the five countries were held on the ground of keeping them "very secret" until the resumption of negotiations on the Syrian track.
The US official added, "Just when the Syrian and Israeli negotiators will sit at the negotiating table, the secrecy of these agreements will be disclosed immediately," adding, "This is a basic US-Israeli request in order to encourage the other hesitating Arab states to proceed on the same road."
