U.S. special envoy Dennis Ross (on personal visit to the region) discusses PA-Israeli negotiations with Arafat in Gaza, then with FM Peres in Jerusalem. (QY, VOP 8/29 in FBIS 8/30; CSM 8/30; PWR 9...
PA, Israeli teams arrive in Cairo for round of elections talks. Parties will try to come to an agmt. that would permit PA to conduct a "quasi-census" in o.t. to update population registry, prepare...
Turkish PM Tansu Ciller ends 3-day visit to Israel; meets with Arafat in Gaza City, pledges $50 m. to autonomous areas; causes conflict with Israelis by holding mtg. with PLO's Faisal Husseini at...
At ceremony in Washington, Jordanian Crown Prince Hassan, Israeli FM Peres announce trade initiatives to develop Jordan Rift valley, involving transportation, water, desalinization, energy,...
Current round of Israel-PLO talks in Taba ends, both sides reporting progress. PM Rabin says talks held in a "good atmosphere." Security comm. divides into subcomms. on police, prisoners. PLO...
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In Jerusalem, PA, Israel begin 4 days of talks on Rafah airport. (VOP 5/19 in FBIS 5/21; PR 5/24; NYT 8/15)
Syrian, Lebanese FMs brief Syrian Pres. Asad in Latakiyya, Lebanese Pres. Ilyas Hrawi in Beirut on cease-fire monitoring group draft. Lebanese PM Rafiq Hariri discusses the draft with French Pres. Jacques Chirac in Paris. (RL, SARR, VOL 5/19 in FBIS 5/20) (see 5/16)
In Beirut, Iranian FM Dir. Gen. for Middle East and North Africa Sayyid Muhammad Kazim Khonsari meets with Lebanese Speaker Nabih Birri to discuss ways Iran could assist with Lebanon's reconstruction. (IRNA [Tehran] 5/20 in FBIS 5/21)
Hamas issues leaflet, threatening to continue attacks against Israelis. (ITV 5/19 in FBIS 5/20) (see 5/18)
Hizballah attacks IDF targets inside the Israeli self-declared security zone, killing 2 soldiers, wounding 1. In response, Israel shells civilian areas in s. Lebanon for the 1st time since the 4/26 cease-fire agmt. took effect, injuring 1 woman. Syria accuses Israel of violating the agmt. Israel says Hizballah is to blame for operating fr. a "built-up area," withdrawing to a village. (IDF Radio, MBC, QY, RL 5/19 in FBIS 5/20; SARR 5/19 in FBIS 5/22; MM, NYT, WP 5/20)
U.S. special envoy Dennis Ross (on personal visit to the region) discusses PA-Israeli negotiations with Arafat in Gaza, then with FM Peres in Jerusalem. (QY, VOP 8/29 in FBIS 8/30; CSM 8/30; PWR 9/4)
In Damascus, Pres. Asad, FM Shara` receive U.S. Senators Arlen Spector, Hank Brown; discusses Syrian-U.S. relations, peace process. (SARR 8/29 in FBIS 8/30; MM 8/30; MM 9/5)
U.S. State Dept. says it warned Syria (8/11) to do "everything in its power" to curb threats against the U.S. and its citizens by Syrian-based Palestinian/Islamic rejectionist groups; U.S. reserves the right to respond to attacks "in any way it deems necessary." (MM, WP 8/30; WJW 9/7)
PA says that, in past 2 days, based on Israeli information, it has arrested over 30 Hamas mbrs, foiling 2 planned attacks on Israeli, PA targets. (ITV, QPAR, QY 8/29 in FBIS 8/30; NYT 8/30; CSM 8/31)
PA, Israeli teams arrive in Cairo for round of elections talks. Parties will try to come to an agmt. that would permit PA to conduct a "quasi-census" in o.t. to update population registry, prepare voter registry. (IGPO 5/14; MENA, VOP 5/15 in FBIS 5/16; CSM 5/16)
At White House, Pres. Clinton, Secy. of State Christopher hold talks with Syrian FM Shara` on Golan, confidence-building measures, reportedly present Shara` with U.S. "bridging" proposal to spur talks btwn. Syria, Israel. Christopher says Syria, Israel have narrowed differences over security arrangement, discusses possible shuttle mission to Middle East at end of June. (SATN 5/15, SARR 5/16 in FBIS 5/16; NYT, WP, WT 5/16; YA 5/16 in FBIS 5/17; WT 5/17; WP 5/21)
PM Rabin tells Knesset that most of Syria's demands are unacceptable, talks are effectively deadlocked. (WT 5/16, 5/17)
UN begins debate on recent Israeli land confiscations. Arab states call for united front against Israel's seizures. (CSM 5/15; WT 5/17, 5/18)
Israel's Arab Democratic Party, HADASH each file no confidence motion over Jerusalem land seizures. (QY 5/15 in FBIS 5/15)
Israeli FMin. bars Swedish Dep. PM Mona Sahlin fr. mtg. with Arafat advisor Husseini at Orient House. In protest, Sahlin cancels all mtgs. with Israelis and PA, returns home. (JP, QY 5/15 in FBIS 5/15)
In s. Lebanon, 7 IDF soldiers are wounded in roadside bombing by Hizballah. (CSM 5/16)
Turkish PM Tansu Ciller ends 3-day visit to Israel; meets with Arafat in Gaza City, pledges $50 m. to autonomous areas; causes conflict with Israelis by holding mtg. with PLO's Faisal Husseini at Orient House in East Jerusalem. (MM 11/4; WT 11/5, 11/6; QY, RMC, VOP 11/6 in FBIS 11/7; MM 11/7; MM 11/8; JP 11/12)
Syrian Pres. al-Asad, Lebanese Pres. Hrawi meet in Damascus to discuss Israeli PM Rabin's 11/1 remarks on southern Lebanon. (SARR 11/5 in FBIS 11/7; JP 11/12)
Israeli Dep. DM Gur says Israel will consider direct talks with Lebanon on phased pullout fr. southern Lebanon if Lebanese present viable plan ensuring total cessation of violence. (JP 11/12)
PNA announces Egypt will open representative office in Gaza, consulate in Jericho; Arafat names Zuhdi al-Qidrah as PNA representative to Cairo. (MENA 11/5 in FBIS 11/7)
Israeli study shows Fateh has not made any lethal attacks on Israelis since autonomy agmt. was signed in May. (QY 11/6 in FBIS 11/8; WT 11/8)
At ceremony in Washington, Jordanian Crown Prince Hassan, Israeli FM Peres announce trade initiatives to develop Jordan Rift valley, involving transportation, water, desalinization, energy, exploitation of minerals. Plans inc. $1.5 b. canal, free-trade zone btwn. Eilat an Aqaba, Red Sea Marine Peace Park. U.S. says it will send business leaders "to help develop trade." (JTV 10/3 in FBIS 10/3; MM, NYT, WP, WT 10/4; RJ 10/6 in FBIS 10/7; MEI 10/7)
Syrian FM al-Shara` gives speech to UNGA saying Syria wants peace, but return of Golan is not open to compromise. (Syrian Arab Television 10/3 in FBIS 10/3; SARR 10/3 in FBIS 10/5; MM 10/4; WT 10/5; ITV 10/6 in FBIS 10/7)
Israeli PM Rabin presents policy statement to Knesset, outlines components of peace with Syria, hints that agmt. with Syria would lead to mutual reduction in regular forces. (QY 10/3 in FBIS 10/3; MM 10/4)
PM Rabin wins nonbinding 53-41 Knesset vote in favor of his foreign policies, inc. Israeli request for U.S. troops to monitor any peace accord with Syria; marks effective end of Labor party rebellion started 9/7. (MM, WP 10/4; WT 10/5; WJW 10/6)
After mtg. with U.S. Secy. of State Christopher, Lebanese FM Faris Buwayz says Lebanese track will not be activated until "features of the Syrian track become clear, not before." (Al-Hayat 10/3 in FBIS 10/5)
PNA Local Affairs M Erakat, Israeli negotiator Danny Rothschild meet in Cairo for talks on elections, expanding PNA authority in the West Bank. (MM 10/3; MENA, VOP 10/4 in FBIS 10/5; WT 10/4; JP 10/8)
Arafat, angry over PSF head Col. Rajub's conflicts with Israeli police, sends Rajub to Egypt for cooling-off period. (JP 10/3 in FBIS 10/3) (see 9/16)
Arab League criticizes GCC states, Tunisia for "hasty" normalization of relations with Israel. (SARR 10/3 in FBIS 10/5)
Palestinian prisoners appeal to Pres. Clinton to intercede with Israel to gain their release. Israel says most of remaining 4,000 prisoners are mbrs. of leftist, Islamist groups opposed to peace and cannot be released now; others have attacked Israelis and will never be freed. (WT 10/4)
Current round of Israel-PLO talks in Taba ends, both sides reporting progress. PM Rabin says talks held in a "good atmosphere." Security comm. divides into subcomms. on police, prisoners. PLO negotiator Nabil Shaath says draft agreement on Palestinian police force reached. (MENA, IDF Radio 2/17 in FBIS 2/18; MM 2/17)
During 2d day of bilateral Arab-Israeli talks in Washington, Israeli negotiators Uri Lubrani, Itamar Rabinovich complain to Lebanese delegate Suhail Shammas, Syrian amb. Muwaffaq al-Allaf over 2/16 katyusha incident. Meanwhile, Lebanese Pres. al-Hirawi, Syrian Pres. al-Asad meet in Damascus to discuss tensions in southern Lebanon. (Qol Yisra'el 2/17 in FBIS 2/17; MM 2/17; SARR 2/17 in FBIS 2/18)
Israel-Jordan-U.S. economic talks in Washington end, Jordanian side expressing reluctance to pursue joint projects with Israel until Israel-Syrian talks achieve progress, Israeli-Jordanian disputes over refugees, water, Arava region resolved. (Qol Yisra'el 2/18 in FBIS 2/18).
Israeli PM Rabin blames 2/16 katyusha attack on "Black September 13" group, notes "our understandings with Syria regarding Hizballah remain in effect." (Qol Yisra'el 2/17 in FBIS 2/18; MM 2/18)
Anwar Rashid Tahir Qtait, 24, killed by IDF at checkpoint in Saris [Misilyah??] village, nr. Janin in West Bank, when he makes a "threatening gesture." In Halhul, IDF shoots and seriously wounds at least 4 Palestinians protesting 2/16 killing of Najwan al-`Izza. (MM 2/17; IDF Radio 2/17 in FBIS 2/17)
Israeli Yuval Golan, stabbed in Hebron 12/29/93 by Palestinian, dies of wounds, becoming 201st Israeli killed by Palestinians during intifada according to AFP figures. 1,179 Palestinians killed by Israeli gunfire in same period. (AFP 2/17 in FBIS 2/18)
Hamas's `Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigade issues statement offering "protection and weapons" to Palestinian collaborators who kill their Shin Bet control officers. (AFP 2/17 in FBIS 2/18)
MK `Abd al-Wahab Darawsha (Arab Democratic party) announces Syrian govt. has allowed him to visit Damascus at head of 31-mbr. delegation to pay condolences on death of Basil al-Asad. Visit will be 1st official trip by Israeli Arab allowed by Syria. PM Rabin calls trip a "positive step." (MM, WP 2/18; WT 2/19; NYT 2/20)
Congolese Int. M Martin Mberri confirms Brazzaville has signed $50 m. contract with Israeli company for training, equipping Congolese army. Officials say 40 Israelis training presidential guard unit, 20 more to come. Mberri says France will train regular army and police. Congo armed forces fighting guerrillas loyal to frmr. dictator Denis Sassou-Nguesso for 8 mos. (WP 2/18)