Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak and Palestinian President Yasser Arafat are expected to meet in the next few days to try to break the deadlock in peace talks, officials on both sides have said. A senior Palestinian official said the two leaders could meet as early as Monday or Tuesday. They have not met since they failed to reach a peace agreement at a 15-day-long summit in the United States in July, and negotiations remain at an impasse.
"In fact, yes, it's possible to convene a meeting between President Abu Amr (Yasser Arafat) and Mr Barak soon, either today or tomorrow. This is something that has been agreed upon," Palestinian Information Minister Yasser Abed Rabbo told the Voice of Palestine radio. He said that Israeli and Palestinian negotiators would head to Washington in the next few days to meet U.S. officials who are trying to prepare bridging proposals in efforts to secure a peace deal before US President Bill Clinton's presidency ends.
Israel's acting Foreign Minister Shlomo Ben-Ami said the meeting between Arafat and Barak would be intended to build trust between the two leaders. Talks are blocked over emotive issues such as the future of Jerusalem and Palestinian refugees. Ben-Ami is also due to visit Egypt and Jordan on Monday to enlist the help of President Hosni Mubarak and King Abdullah to break the deadlock in peacemaking.

Bureau Report