ISRAEL: CLINTON/NETANYAHU IN TALKS OVER BREAKFAST UPDATE

Описание: (13 Dec 1998) Natural Sound

An embattled President Clinton is in Israel to open a tough diplomatic mission aimed at rescuing the Wye peace agreement.

Clinton has urged Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu to fulfill the latest peace deal after the Israeli leader harshly accused Palestinians of failing to meet their obligations.

The two leaders opened formal talks over breakfast - before Clinton met Netanyahu's extended cabinet.

President Clinton is trying to smooth over the rocky peace process in the Middle East.

His visit to the region comes just seven weeks after the Wye River Peace Accord signed by the Palestinians and the Israelis in the States.

But tensions are high in the region - and a wave of West Bank violence clouded Clinton's peace mission on Sunday.

Palestinian stone throwers clashed with Israeli troops and an Israeli high school
student was stabbed and wounded by a Palestinian teenager.

At a late-night arrival ceremony for Clinton on Saturday, Netanyahu said he hoped the president's visit would "contribute to true peace."

Again, the Israeli leader accused the Palestinians of ignoring commitments in peace
accords.

Israeli Foreign Minister Ariel Sharon, who had breakfast on Sunday with Secretary of State Madeleine Albright told reporters Israel that "has not left" the Wye River agreement.

But like Clinton, Netanyahu has a shaky political future.

The Israeli leader is fighting for his political survival as parliament prepares for a no-confidence vote within two weeks.

His coalition began to weaken after he and Arafat signed the Wye River Memorandum agreeing to turn over 13 percent of West Bank territory in return for Palestinian security measures.

Netanyahu has said there would be no further troop withdrawals until West Bank rioting and violence ends.

Israel and the Palestinians are also in bitter disagreement over procedures for revoking passages in the Palestinian charter calling for Israel's destruction.

On Monday, the president is to fly to the Palestinian-run Gaza Strip to be welcomed by Arafat with the trappings of a state visit.

Clinton's visit to Gaza is seen by some as a boost for dreams of Palestinian statehood.

Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork
Twitter:   / ap_archive  
Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​
Instagram:   / apnews  


You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...