Thursday, January 4, 1996

Egypt-Israel-Jordan-PA technical comm. on refugees meets in Haifa. (QY 1/4 in FBIS 1/5)

PM Peres tells aides that talks with Syria are going better than he had thought; says Syrians are moderating positions, making concessions on matters of substance. At signs of progress, U.S. Secy. of State Christopher joins talks for several hrs., hosts dinner for negotiators. (MM 1/4; ITV 1/4, QY 1/5 in FBIS 1/5)

Israeli Justice M Liba'i cancels 1st mtg. of the joint Israeli-PA legal comm. in protest over PA Justice M Frayh Abu-Madayn's comments that Israel should not refuse to compensate Palestinians for the intifada while demanding Germany compensate Jews for the Holocaust. Liba'i, Abu-Madayn cochair the comm. (MM 1/4; QY 1/4 in FBIS 1/4) (see 1/3)

In Tel Aviv, UNIFIL Cmdr. Stanislaw meets with Israeli Chief of Staff Amnon Shahak to protest the IDF's use of nail bombs in the attacks that wounded 3 UN soldiers 12/9; killed 1, wounded 4 Lebanese civilians 12/30. (RL 1/4 in FBIS 1/4)