Clinton to Convene Mideast Summit

(July 5, 2000)

President Bill Clinton announced on July 5, 2000, that he will convene a July 11 three-way Middle East peace summit with Prime Minister Ehud Barak and Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat. Clinton reiterated the importance of high-level negotiations and said that the peace process could only move forward after a face to face meeting between Barak and Arafat.

According to HA'ARETZ, Barak said that any key decisions could not be made without a summit-style meeting of the leaders of Israel and the Palestinian Authority. Barak also commented that it was critical that Arafat be flexible in his positions. "We have reached the time for making decisions," said Barak.

The talks will begin Tuesday in the seclusion of the Camp David presidential retreat in the Catoctin Mountains. Israeli and Palestinian negotiators will precede them here, meeting this weekend with American mediators.

"I think if we work hard, we can get it done in several days," Clinton said. "But I will give it whatever time is required, as long as we are still moving forward."

Sources: AP, IsraelLine, (July 5, 2000)