Palestinians want Wye implemented in full

JERUSALEM, JULY 27: A top adviser to Yasser Arafat said the Palestinian Authority president would reject any proposal to modify the Wye R...

JERUSALEM, JULY 27: A top adviser to Yasser Arafat said the Palestinian Authority president would reject any proposal to modify the Wye River land-for-security peace deal when he met Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak today.

“We need the complete, honest implementation of the Wye agreement and all outstanding interim issues. We reject changing the agreement which has already been signed and just requires implementation,” adviser Nabil Abu Rdainah told Reuters.

Barak, concerned that a quick handover of West Bank land to Palestinian rule will weaken his hand, was hoping to secure a delay in at least one stage of the promised pullout until the two sides are well into their talks on a final peace deal.

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He also contends the total handover of territory as called for under Wye could produce Israeli-Palestinian friction points, isolate some 15 Jewish settlements and scuttle attempts to clinch a final deal nearly three months overdue, officials said.

Barak and Arafat were due to meet at the Erez crossing point between Israel and the Gaza strip at 8.30 pm (11 pm IST). They met there on July 11, five days after Barak took office, and again in Rabat on Sunday with US President Bill Clinton.

A senior Israeli source said “the sides need to lower expectations” about the meeting.

Top Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said he hoped the meeting would enable Wye to go ahead.

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“I hope that nothing will be suggested to the effect of trying to postpone or freeze implementation of any of the segments of the redeployment because i think this is the key to restore confidence in the peace process,” he told Israel radio.