 |
Al-Ahram Weekly 23 - 29 March 2000 Issue No. 474 
|
||
Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
| ||
|
Al-Ahram Weekly 23 - 29 March 2000 Issue No. 474
|
||
| Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
| ||
Egypt Region International Economy Opinion Culture Features Focus Travel Living Sports Profile People Time Out Chronicles Cartoons Geneva talks
US PRESIDENT Bill Clinton said he was "hopeful" about a meeting on Sunday with Syrian President Hafez Al-Assad aimed at reviving Syrian-Israeli peace negotiations.In an interview with ABC Television's World News Tonight. Clinton acknowledged that Al-Assad rarely leaves Syria, suggesting that their Sunday rendezvous in Geneva would not have been scheduled unless there was a good reason for the two leaders to meet.
"I think it's safe to assume that I wouldn't waste his time," Clinton told ABC. "It's time for us to talk about what we think it would take to resume these talks and move to a resolution."
But when Clinton was asked whether he believed a deal was imminent, he replied, "I wouldn't say that."
Asked if he was enthusiastic about the meeting with Assad, who is said to be in fragile health, Clinton said simply, "I'm hopeful."
The White House announced earlier on Tuesday that Clinton would visit Oman to meet with its leader, Sultan Qaboos bin Said, on his way to the meeting with Al-Assad.
US review
US SECRETARY of State Madeleine Albright authorised a 26-hour trip by US consular officials to Libya that began yesterday. The aim of the trip is to measure the risk to an unknown number of US citizens who live and work there despite the 18-year-old US ban on travel to the country.US State Department spokesman James Rubin said the on-the-ground examination would be a prelude to a decision on whether to remove restrictions on the use of US passports for travel to, in or through Libya. Speaking on condition of anonymity, a senior official cited a "cessation of Libyan support of terrorism" as a factor encouraging the consular mission, but said it did not represent any change in the official US position concerning the trial of two Libyans accused of bombing a PanAm airliner in 1988. Relatives of some of the 270 victims said they were united in anger at the US government for what they see as insufficient pressure on Libya.
