Israel has asked US President Bill Clinton to make a "presidential declaration," which would summarize the Israeli-Palestinian peace process during his administration, and serve all sides as the basis for future negotiations after he leaves office, reported Haaretz newspaper, quoting Israeli officials as saying.
The Israeli request comes in view of the fact that neither Israel nor the Palestinians believe that a framework agreement on a final status accord is possible before Clinton's term ends on January 20, said the paper.
"It [the declaration] would need to clarify precisely what is meant and leave nothing unclear, or open to contradictory interpretations. It must serve as a solid basis for dialogue and for reaching an agreement following the elections [in Israel]," Israel's Foreign Minister Shlomo Ben-Ami said Saturday.
According to the paper, such a declaration would be based on the bridging proposals put forth by the American president to the two sides two weeks ago. Both sides accepted the proposals as the basis for a final status accord, albeit with reservations.
Ben-Ami said that any such declaration requires "an international gathering," which would grant the process legitimacy. However, the foreign minister said that he is opposed to a "photo-opportunity" which would give the Israeli public the sense that political manipulation is in the works on the eve of prime ministerial elections in Israel set for February 6.
Haaretz added that Clinton is not rushing to make the declaration, which Israeli is seeking.
In spite of the little time he has left in the White House, he is weighing several options following a series of meetings with Palestinian and Israeli officials.
A decision may be announced Sunday, during an address which Clinton is expected to make at the Israel Policy Forum in New York, or on Monday, said the paper.
According to US sources, Haaretz said, Clinton is working in close cooperation with officials of the incoming George W. Bush administration.
Among the options being considered are the following:
l- An international conference with the participation of key players, such as the European Union, Russia, the United Nations, and key Arab states. The conference would seek to formulate a document, which would secure the continuation of the negotiations toward a final status agreement.
2- A presidential declaration, which could only be verbal. It could be declared in the presence of Palestinian president Yasser Arafat and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak or without them. The Americans prefer that the two sides endorse the declaration, however they do not discount the possibility it would be issued solely on Clinton's initiative.
3- A summit, in which the presidential declaration is made public, either in the framework of an international conference or a tripartite meeting of the three leaders. Arafat has expressed his willingness to attend such a summit, however Barak has linked his participation to a drop in the level of violence in the territories.
4- Suspending the peace process if the differences among the parties are to deep to allow any of the options presented above. Clinton would then leave guidelines for officials of the Bush administration on ways to continue the process -- Albawaba.com
© 2001 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
