Questions on US President Bill Clinton's Middle East peace plan remain unanswered but the Palestinians expect to have the "clarifications" they are still seeking within 24 hours, a Palestinian official said Wednesday.
Nabil Abu Rudeina, a top adviser to Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, was speaking on Voice of Palestine radio following Arafat's three hours of talks with Clinton in Washington Tuesday.
"The American efforts are continuing and the next 24 hours could bring certain replies to our questions," Abu Rudeina said, adding that Clinton had promised to give his answers after talking to the Israelis.
"It is too soon to talk of results," he said with regard to Arafat's talks with Clinton, adding that the questions raised by both sides were "complex"
"The discussions were serious and profound and one cannot say that they produced a clear result. All one can say is that President Clinton promised to continue his efforts and contact the Israeli side," Abu Rudeina said.
"He will then inform President Arafat of the results of his talks with the Israeli side."
Israel has accepted the Clinton framework in principle, but Arafat said he wanted "clarifications", reportedly on 25 points.
According to Israeli and Palestinian versions of Clinton's parameters for a peace agreement, all of the Gaza Strip and more than 90 percent of the West Bank would be restored to the Palestinians.
East Jerusalem, home of sites holy to Christians, Muslims and Jews, would be divided between Israel and the Palestinians.
The Palestinians, however, would have to accept Israel's refusal to allow the return of some 3.7 million refugees made homeless by Israel's 1948 war of independence -- GAZA (AFP)
© 2001 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
