Clinton timing release of his own comprehensive Mideast peace plan
By Steve Rodan, Middle East Newsline
SPECIAL TO WORLD TRIBUNE.COM
Thursday, September 28, 2000
RAMALLAH — President Bill Clinton is cradling a second draft of a
U.S. peace document, awaiting the right moment to submit new proposals meant
to bridge Israeli and Palestinian positions for a treaty.
Clinton's aides are sounding out senior Israeli and Palestinian
negotiators in Washington over the next three days as the president
considers when to launch what could be his last effort to complete a peace
treaty. The bridging proposals will mark the first time the administration
has drafted a comprehensive draft of Israeli-Palestinian peace.
Israeli and Palestinian sources said the U.S. draft comprises every
issue discussed at the Camp David summit in July. This includes the future
of Jerusalem, Palestinian refugees, borders, security arrangements and water
rights. If the draft is accepted by both sides, Israeli and Palestinian
negotiators would form panels that would discuss every one of these
subjects.
Portions of the U.S. document have already been discussed with Egypt and
Jordan, both of which have been promoting the peace efforts. Egyptian
officials said Israel has softened its position, particularly on the
Jerusalem issue.
"I would say that we are at the start of a very intensive effort -- to
an extent a final one in this round -- in an attempt to reach a breakthrough
in the negotiations with the Palestinians," Israeli Prime Minister Ehud
Barak said.
Palestinian Authority International Cooperation Minister Nabil Shaath
compares the U.S. document to a large package. Shaath said Israel and
Palestinians would discuss each issue separately and if agreement is
achieved, place that aside and proceed to unresolved matters.
"Jerusalem would be a subpackage within that package," Shaath said. "If
we make subpackage agreements, we will pocket and keep them. You sign the
agreement when all the packages are ready."
Shaath envisions the start of the negotiations based on Clinton's
proposals beginning over the next two weeks and continuing throughout the
last months of his administration. Unlike his Israeli conterparts, the PA
minister does not see the U.S. congressional recess on Oct. 6 or
presidential elections the following months as deadlines.
Israeli and PA officials said the next step is up to Clinton. They said
that during the United Nations millennium celebrations earlier this month
Clinton sounded out Barak and PA Chairman Yasser Arafat on their positions
regarding all aspects of a peace treaty in an effort to determine the extent
of their agreement.
From those meetings, White House and State Department officials drafted
principles for a comprehensive peace treaty. The first draft was completed
and submitted on Sept. 19. Clinton, they said, called for revisions. Three
days later, the president was given a second draft.
"There are many ideas out there, and that at this stage there is no
American proposal that is on the table," U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine
Albright told a Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Tuesday. "We are
looking at ways that we can be of assistance."
Israeli and PA officials said neither side has seen the U.S. draft but
both have been consulted by State Department officials. They said the PA was
at first hesitant to agree to the principle of a U.S. draft, fearing that
the document had already been approved by Israel.
But later Arafat was assuaged and agreed for Clinton to proceed with the
effort. A key step, the officials said, was a Monday night visit by Arafat
to Barak's home where the two men renewed what aides described as their
personal chemistry.
"They fully realize that there is an opportunity that must be realized
to reach an agreement even if they have to compromise on some issues that
they originally thought that they couldn't compromise on," Israeli Justice
Minister Yossi Beilin said.
Clinton's scenario, the officials said, began with consultations on
Tuesday in Arlington, Va. with senior Israeli and PA negotiators. If the
meetings succeed, the U.S. president will present his peace plan to Arafat
and Barak. At that point, Clinton will schedule another summit that will
negotiate an agreement based on the U.S. document.
PA officials insist they are not rushing to reach an accord. But they
acknowledge that they are in a hurry to obtain Israeli and U.S. agreement
for a declaration of Palestinian statehood. They point out that Arafat has
twice delayed plans for statehood because of U.S. and Western objections.
On Tuesday, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a resolution that
called for an end to U.S. aid for any Palestinian state that is declared
unilaterally.
Arafat's new policy, officials said, is not to set a deadline for
statehood.
This time, they said, Arafat will declare statehood when he determines that
he has obtained U.S. support.
"President Arafat has twice delayed a declaration and his credibility
with his people is at stake," Shaath said. "Setting another date would be a
mistake."