20000204

Barak, Arafat summit over draft peace deal

EREZ CROSSING: Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak and Palestinian President Yasser Arafat met for talks on Thursday, 10 days from a deadline for a US-mediated framework peace accord.

The leaders, accompanied by senior deputies, shook hands at the opening of the meeting at a main entrance to the Gaza Strip. Officials said the summit aimed to close gaps remaining on core elements of the accord, a draft for a permanent peace the sides have pledged to seal by September.

The permanent peace is meant to cover the core disputes of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, among them the future of Jerusalem, borders, Palestinian refugees and Jewish settlers.

Barak's security cabinet approved on Wednesday the delayed handover of 6.1 percent more of the West Bank to Palestinian control under existing interim peace deals.

The decision, subject to approval by the full cabinet, coincided with the arrival of U.S. President Bill Clinton's envoy Dennis Ross on a mission to kick-start the sluggish process.

Arafat has complained to main talks sponsor Clinton over the lagging pace of the Palestinian peace track, all but overshadowed by Barak's troubled efforts in recent weeks to make peace with Syria.-Reuters