Sharon Postpones Peres-Arafat Talks At Last Minute

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Sunday, September 23 5:14 PM SGT

Sharon postpones Peres-Arafat talks at last minute

JERUSALEM, Sept 23 (AFP) - Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon on Sunday postponed a much-anticipated meeting between his Foreign Minister Shimon Peres and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, saying there was still too much violence on the ground.

"The prime minister gave instructions to his foreign minister not to go to the meeting today (Sunday) because of the continuing violence and terrorism," a high-ranking Israeli official said.

"Yasser Arafat has not passed the test of 48 hours of total calm that the prime minister set last Sunday as a condition for a Peres-Arafat meeting," said the official, who asked not to be named.

But he did not rule out a meeting in the days to come, the official said. Palestinian officials said they had not been informed of the cancellation.

"The Israeli government has our address, they know where they can inform us," chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erakat said.

Other high-level officials said the meeting was still possible, arguing that US officials could pressure Sharon to relent before the rendezvous in the Gaza Strip at 5:00 pm (1400 GMT) previously announced by the Palestinians.

Sharon has insisted that Arafat halt the violence completely for 48 hours before any talks with the dovish Peres can go ahead, saying that Israel refuses to negotiate under fire.

The right-wing prime minister made the veto decision Sunday in a cabinet meeting after talks with top security officials.

Israeli officials admitted that the level of violence had dropped off significantly since first Arafat and then the Israeli army announced a truce on Tuesday, with both sides under pressure from the United States.

Washington is trying to build a global coalition against terrorism in the aftermath of the devastating September 11 attacks on New York and Washington, and wants calm in the region to help persude Arab states to sign up to the initiative.

But Israel insists it will not compromise the safety of its citizens, saying that Arafat may be trying to score political points by dragging it into talks before the violence on the ground has halted.

In the latest show of force, three Israeli tanks made a brief incursion into Palestinian-controlled land in the Gaza Strip overnight Saturday, apparently in response to a Palestinian mortar attack on a Jewish settlement which caused no injuries or damage.

Despite the general drop in armed attacks since the ceasefire declarations, an Israeli woman was shot dead by Palestinian gunmen in the West Bank on Thursday, while Israeli troops later shot dead a Palestinian after a Gaza Strip attack that left five of the comrades wounded.

Twenty-four Palestinians were wounded in clashes Friday amid stone-throwing and protests.

The much-delayed meeting between Peres and Arafat is intended to relaunch the Middle East peace process and end the year-long Palestinian intifada, or uprising, which has claimed more than 800 lives, most of them Palestinians.

Initial talks would focus on establishing a more robust ceasefire which, if it lasted, would open the door to the implementation of the internationally approved Mitchell plan.

That plan sets out a total halt to hostilities, a six-week cooling off period and a freeze on Jewish settlements in the Palestinian territories before relaunching high-level peace talks to tackle outsanding issues on the formation of a potential Palestinian state.

Peres met Erekat and Palestinian parliamentary speaker Ahmed Qorei on Saturday as part of the perparation for the meeting.

The Israeli army's head of planning, Major Giora Eiland, who took part in the talks, laid out plans for easing the blockade on Palestinian territories and redeploying Israeli forces following a withdrawal from reoccupied autonomous Palestinian land last week, diplomatic sources said.

-- Anonymous, September 23, 2001

Answers

I'm beginning to wonder about that sharon guy.

-- Anonymous, September 23, 2001

If they don't have some type of agreement before the U.S. starts retaliating, they will have more problems.

-- Anonymous, September 24, 2001

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