World

Clinton Heads To Mideast Summit

By CBSNews.com staff CBSNews.com staff

October 17, 1998 / 5:43 PM EDT / CBS

U.S. President Clinton flew back to an Israeli-Palestinian summit in rural Maryland Sunday for what could be the decisive phase in attempts to end a stalemate in Middle East peace talks.

"It's an important day ... Major decisions will obviously be taken," said an Israeli official.

Diplomatic sources on Sunday said a partial West Bank agreement is likely to emerge from the Middle East summit, but it probably will take weeks to complete a full accord.

The United States wants Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Yasser Arafat to wrap up four days of meetings Sunday, but the talks have been extended through Monday.

"Our goal continues to be to do all the work that needs to be done by today," State Department spokesman James Rubin said Sunday. "I haven't heard any discussion of a multi-week extension," he added, without elaboration.

Israel's newly appointed hard-line foreign minister, Ariel Sharon, and Defense Minister Yitzhak Mordechai arrived early Sunday to join the talks. Asked by reporters if he was optimistic, Mordechai said, "Yes, I am."

The aim of the talks, at the Wye Plantation estate 70 miles east of Washington, is to reach a deal on the next stages of Israeli withdrawal from the West Bank and on Israel's security demands from the Palestinian Authority.

They also have to sort out a backlog of issues from earlier Israeli-Palestinian agreements, such as a Gaza airport and a safe passage for Palestinians between Gaza and the West Bank.

With few signs of progress, the U.S. mediators may have to accept something less than a comprehensive agreement between Netanyahu and Arafat, Israeli delegation sources said.

The Clinton Administration fought hard to limit press statements about the talks at the secluded Maryland resort, but both sides have had difficulty refraining from issuing potentially infammatory statements.

An Israeli official said Netanyahu was ready to stay on for an agreement. "But the nature of the beast is that another 24 to 48 hours might not make the difference," he added.

Palestinian delegates said that from their point of view an incomplete deal would mean no deal.

"The Israelis are trying to omit from the agreement any references to unilateral acts, the third phase of redeployment and (Palestinian) prisoners," a Palestinian negotiator said.

Negotiators have agreed most details of a second Israeli withdrawal, from 13 percent of the West Bank, but the gap remains wide on the extent of a third withdrawal.

"We informed the American side that without these issues there will be no agreement. The Americans promised to find compromises on these," the negotiator added.

The Maryland talks will be the longest and most intensive at this level for years between Arab and Israeli leaders, comparable only with the Camp David summit which ended in agreement beteen Egypt and Israel in 1978.

Clinton took an active part Saturday in discussions on land and security issues with Netanyahu and Arafat. He met alternately with both leaders in a relaxed atmosphere at the plantation, staying until late in the evening.

Central Intelligence Agency Director George Tenet also participated in Clinton's sessions with Netanyahu and Arafat, underscoring a focus on resolving Israeli security demands crucial to any agreement.

On Sunday, Israel's foreign and defense ministers joined the summit, adding to the sense of anticipation. Defense Minister Yitzhak Mordechai and newly appointed Foreign Minister Ariel Sharon flew into nearby Easton airport.

Mordechai told reporters he was optimistic. Security men then whisked him and Sharon off for a meeting over breakfast of Netanyahu's "kitchen cabinet," an Israeli official said.