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Al-Ahram Weekly 10 - 16 February 2000 Issue No. 468 
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Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Al-Ahram Weekly 10 - 16 February 2000 Issue No. 468
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| Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Egypt Region International Economy Opinion Culture Features Focus Profile Travel Books Sports People Time Out Chronicles Cartoons Letters Talks regressing
PALESTINIAN President Yasser Arafat was in Cairo on Sunday to brief President Hosni Mubarak on the talks he recently held with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak. Discussions between the two Arab leaders centred on the credibility of Israel's intentions in the peace process and the obstacles it is placing on the Palestinian track, which include its failure to implement the third phase of West Bank troop redeployment.
During the meeting, Arafat described Palestinian-Israeli talks on all levels, including last Thursday's encounter with Barak, as "a farce."
According to Foreign Minister Amr Moussa, Arafat's report was "very negative." He said both Mubarak and Arafat "are questioning Israel's position vis-à-vis the peace process with the Palestinians." He said the talks in Eretz last Thursday spelled out grave danger for the Palestinian track. "Everybody must know that the Israeli position is clearly regressing on the Palestinian track," he said. Moussa also cited other actions which do not augur well for the peace process, including the freezing of Syrian-Israeli talks and reports that Israel plans to annex territories in south Lebanon. "All these negative developments indicate a pessimistic [outlook] for the peace process, which needs to be redressed and changed immediately," Moussa said. "We should not believe the rosy reports about the peace process but instead deal realistically with outstanding problems which pose a real threat if progress is not made." He urged Barak to take "a positive and firm position" on all tracks.
