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28
FRIDAY, JANUARY 31, 1992
1
he multi-lateral phase
of the Middle East
peace talks began in
Moscow this week, with the
atmosphere inside the
Moscow meeting room only
slightly less frigid than the
Russian winter.
On the positive side, the
session, presided over by the
United States and Russia,
the successor state to the
Soviet Union, marked the
first time that Israel had sat
around the same negotiating
table as Saudi Arabia,
Kuwait, Tunisia,
Mauritania, Qatar, Oman,
Bahrain and the United
Arab Emirates.
It also marked the first
time Japan and China,
which recently established
full diplomatic relations
with Israel, have par-
ticipated in Middle East
peace talks.
However, Syria and Leb-
anon boycotted the talks,
claiming that more progress
was first required in the bi-
lateral phase of the discus-
sions that have been held in
Washington.
The Palestinians were also
absent on Tuesday, the first
day of the session, thanks to
a last-minute attempt by
them to change the makeup
of their delegation in viola-
tion of the ground rules they
had previously agreed to.
When both the U.S. and
Russia rebuffed that move,
the Palestinians announced
they would boycott.
Algeria and Yemen, two
Arab countries who were ex-
pected to attend, also failed
to appear in an apparent
show of solidarity with the
Palestinians.
However, Jordan broke
ranks and attended.
The multi-lateral talks are
intended to deal with such
regional problems as dwindl-
ing water resources, arms
control, environmental
matters and economic devel-
opment. The Palestinians
contended that such issues
affect the lives of all Palesti-
nians, and that their delega-
tion should therefore include
residents of Jerusalem and
Palestinians living in
"exile," meaning those
residing anywhere in the
world.
Previously agreed upon
ground rules had limited the
Palestinian delegation to
Palestinians living in the
West Bank or Gaza. Israel
has insisted on those terms,
fearing that allowing
Jerusalem Palestinians to
participate would open the
door to discussions over the
status of that city.
The Jewish state also does
not want Palestinians from
outside the occupied ter-
ritories sitting at the table
because of concerns that
would bring up the question
of whether Palestinians liv-
ing outside the territories
should be allowed to return.
By trying to change the
rules at this point, the Pales-
tinians took a calculated
chance aimed at gaining
ground in the on-going
battle of wits and brinkman-
ship that has become a
hallmark of the ongoing
talks.
"We did not come to
Moscow to be part of a trun-
cated delegation or to repre-
sent only one-third of the Pa-
lestinian people," argued
China and Japan
have joined the
talks for the first
time.
Hanan Ashrawi, the Pales-
tinian spokeswoman.
However, both the U.S.
and Russia insisted that the
Palestinians adhere to the
terms of the negotiations
agreed to in Madrid, where
the Middle East peace
negotiations first began last
year. U.S. Secretary of State
James Baker said he was
"disappointed" in the Pales-
tinian stand, adding that
they had once again lost a
chance to advance their
cause.
"The Palestinians are
making a mistake by not
taking advantage of this op-
portunity," Mr. Baker said.
However, Mr. Baker also
offered the Palestinians a
compromise that would
allow them to participate in
the way they wanted to
when the talks break down
into working groups dealing
with specific issues. He also
added the question of refu-
gees in the Middle East to
the agenda, and said the full
Palestinian delegation