Jordan Times
Sunday, December 5, 1999
King, Barak discuss peace process
AMMAN (AFP) — His Majesty King Abdullah and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak discussed by telephone Saturday the latest developments in the Israeli-Palestinian negotiations, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.
King Abdullah expressed hope that progress will be made in the negotiations within the agreed timetable and that accords concluded will be respected, Petra said in a dispatch from Seoul, where the King is on a state visit.
The timetable calls for a framework agreement in February and a final accord in September on the legal status and borders of the Palestinian areas, Jerusalem, Palestinian refugees, Israeli settlements and water sharing.
The phone call coincided with reports from Egypt and Israel that Israeli foreign ministry director general, Eytan Bentsur will visit Cairo on Sunday for talks with Foreign Minister Amr Musa on the Palestinian-Israeli negotiations.
The consultations come ahead of U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright's visit to the region.
Albright will leave the United States Sunday for Israel, the Palestinian territories, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Syria before returning to Washington Dec. 9.
Egypt and Jordan are the only Arab countries which have peace treaties with Israel and hold regular consultations with both Israeli and Palestinian officials on peace process developments.
King Abdullah is visiting South Korea on the second leg of an Asian tour that has already taken him and Her Majesty Queen Rania to Japan. They start a two-day visit to China on Monday.