US envoy Dennis Ross said Thursday that talks in Paris between Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak and Palestinian leader Yasser Aarafat had been productive even though they ended without a formal accord.
They had "long intensive discussions", Ross told journalists accompanying US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, who hosted the Paris talks, to a new round with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak in the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh.
Barak left the Paris talks for home, saying there was no point in going to Sharm as Arafat had refused to sign an accord, but at the same time the Israeli army said it had agreed with Palestinian security forces on a deal to stop fighting that has killed more than 70 people.
"On the security issue they were productive," Ross said, referring to efforts to end week-long clashes between Israeli forces and Palestinian demonstrators in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
"There was a strong commitment by both sides to do all they could to try to calm the situation," Ross said. "Both sides actually gave instructions simultaneously to commanders back in the field."
He added, "Both sides were very clear in terms of trying to focus on key flashpoints, trying to avoid trouble in those areas, in a sense, trying to create some separation in those areas."
Asked about the results of the talks, the US Middle East envoy said, "We will see. Obviously it has to be translated on the ground." -- SHARM EL-SHEIKH, Egypt (AFP)
© 2000 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
