U.S. freezes ties with Palestinian Authority

RAMALLAH -- The United States has suspended relations with the Palestinian Authority.

PA officials said the freeze relates to bilateral meetings meant to discuss U.S. aid to the Palestinians or an upgrade of diplomatic relations. They said the freeze began last month during the Camp David summit and is meant to pressure PA Chairman Yasser Arafat to make concessions to Israel.

"We are undergoing an uncomfortable period [with the United States] from the diplomatic perspective," PA International Cooperation Minister Nabil Shaath said. "We hope this crisis will pass."

Shaath said a meeting scheduled in July between U.S. and PA officials to discuss aid and new steps to enhance bilateral relations was cancelled by the Clinton administration. The reason given by the administration was the Camp David summit, but Shaath said in the aftermath of the meeting U.S. officials have refused to set a new date.

PA officials said they did not know of any U.S. contacts or proposals to the Palestinians to end the current freeze in relations. "We can't deal with these problems until the air improves," Shaath said.

The next step, however, is expected to be when U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Edward Walker is to hold talks with Palestinian leaders. The talks are expected later this week.

PA officials said Walker will try to pressure Arafat into conceding on such issues as Jerusalem and refugees. Officials said Arafat is demanding guarantees from Washington that it will recognize a Palestinian state even if next summit does not achieve an agreement with Israel.

"It did not send Walker to help in reaching a political solution," PA minister and negotiator Hassan Asfour said. "Rather it tried to misrepresent the Palestinian position. Can the American administration be aware of the magnitude of its political wrongdoings and the meaning of these wrongdoings?"