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Israel, PA begin 1st meet in two months

US sees glimmer of hope
JERUSALEM. May 16 : Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called it a "good start." but Palestinians were grim on Thursday following the first meeting between Israeli and Palestinian negotiators in two months, reports AP.
An American official called the meeting constructive, but said the two sides were "very far apart one the basic issues that divide them."
Yasser Arafat said the Wednesday night meeting arranged by US mediator Dennis Ross "did not achieve the needed results," and top Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said it "revealed to me the depths of the crisis we’re in.”
"I never felt so far away from being these people's partners as I did last night," Erekat told The Associated Press.
Erekat described the meeting as "very, very frank ... and very, very bitter, angry at points."
Netanyahu, however, said "I think we had a good start. ... Both sides presented their concerns."
Netanyahu, who was briefed Thursday on the meeting by Ross, said "it can be a basis for further meetings.'
'We are trying to find a bridge between the two sides to
allow a renewal of Joint security cooperation ... and to renew the peace process," he said.
"Ross met twice with Netanyahu on Thursday and was to meet Thursday night with Arafat in the West Bank city Ramallah.
However, Arafat's office announced at 2000 GMT that the Palestinian leader was too busy to meet with Ross Thursday. The cancellation signaled the Palestinians' growing Impatience with the impasse in negotiations.
The United States has been pushing to revive Israel-Palestinian peace talks, which have been on hold since Israel broke ground in Jerusalem in March for a new Jewish neighbourhood on land captured from Arabs in the 1967 Middle East War. The groundbreaking was followed by weeks of clashes in the West Bank between Palestinians youths and Israeli troops.
Tne Palestinians say the talks cannot resume until Israel stops construction of the neighbourhood, known as Har Homa in Bebrew and Abu Gh-neim in Arabic, and expansion of Jewish settlements in the West Bank.
"What was needed from the Israeli side was a freeze of set-
tlements, an end to land confiscations, and an end to construction at Abu Ghneim." Erekat said Thursday. "We did not hear it. On the contrary, we heard that settlements will continue."
"Israeli Foreign Minister David Levy, who traveled Thursday to the United States, insisted Wednesday that Israel's settlement activity did not violate the Israel-Palestinian accords.
"It may be against some people's desires and expectations, but It does riot go against the agreements", he said.
"The Haaretz newspaper said Levy, in his meeting with US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, would express Israel's desire to reach an understanding with the United States on issues to be raised in negotiations on a final "peace settlement with the Palestinians.
Negotiations have not yet started on a final settlement, which is supposed to be reached by 1999 and address unresolved issues such as the status of Jerusalem, the future of the Jewish settlements in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, the final borders of the Palestinian entity and the question of statehood.