PNC speaker Salim Za'nun announces that Arafat will convene the PLOCC in early 9/00 to ask mbrs. approval to delay a unilateral declaration of a Palestinian state. Za'nun says Arafat took the decision after his tour of Europe, where EU leaders advised him against declaring statehood unilaterally on or around 9/13. (WJW 8/10; WT 8/11; WT 8/12; AYM, DUS 8/13 in WNC 8/14)
Barak taps chief negotiator Ben-Ami to serve as acting FM. (MM 8/10; ATL, MIL 8/10 in WNC 8/14; WT 8/11)
In Alexandria, Egyptian pres. Mubarak receives Britain's Lord Michael Levy, who is carrying a message to the pres. fr. PM Blair regarding the "peace process following the Camp David summit." Lord Michael previously has been involved in back-channel negotiations on the Syrian-Israeli track. (MENA 8/10 in WNC 8/14)
U.S., Israeli officials report that they held 3 days of talks this wk. on strengthening strategic relations. (WP 8/11; WJW 8/17; WT 8/18)