U.S. State Dept. says that Israel's 12-page list of conditions for FRD are its own interpretation, U.S. does not recognize it as binding. (WT 1/18) (see 1/15)
U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum officials reject Arafat's request to make official visit the museum during his visit to Washington 1/22, say he can come "but as no more than a common tourist" forced to stand in line to wait for a ticket. (NYT, WP 1/17; NYT 1/18; MM 1/19; MEI 1/30)
EU Commissioner Manuel Maris issues a 23-page report, adopted unanimously by EU mbrs., calling on EU, as largest donor to the PA, to take a more active role in the peace process, blaming Israel for strangling Palestinian economy. (MEI 1/30; IGPO 1/19)
Turkey's Constitutional Court bans the Islamist Refah party, ruling that it harbors a subversive agenda, is working to replace the nation's secular order; bans 7 party leaders, including fmr. PM Necmettin Erbakan, fr. participating in politics for 5 yrs. (NYT 1/17; MA 1/20 in WNC 1/21)