WEST BANK/JERUSALEM/ISRAEL-GAZA BORDER: AS ISRAELI PM EHUD BARAK AND PALESTINIAN PRESIDENT YASSER ARAFAT PREPARE FOR A KEY SUMMIT TO REVIVE THE PEACE PROCESS, THEIR TRADE MINISTERS MEET TO IMPROVE ECONOMIC RELATIONS

Record ID: 399088

  • Title: WEST BANK/JERUSALEM/ISRAEL-GAZA BORDER: AS ISRAELI PM EHUD BARAK AND PALESTINIAN PRESIDENT YASSER ARAFAT PREPARE FOR A KEY SUMMIT TO REVIVE THE PEACE PROCESS, THEIR TRADE MINISTERS MEET TO IMPROVE ECONOMIC RELATIONS
  • Date: 27th July 1999
  • Summary: RAMALLAH, WEST BANK/JERUSALEM/EREZ, ISRAEL-GAZA BORDER (JULY 27, 1999 AND RECENT) (REUTERS) RAMALLAH, WEST BANK 1. CU SIGN "MINISTRY OF INDUSTRY" 0.04 2. SV ISRAELI TRADE MINISTER RAN COHEN ARRIVES AND IS GREETED BY PALESTINIAN TRADE MINISTER SA'ADI AL-KRUNZ/MCU SECURITY (2 SHOTS) 0.20 3. SV RAN COHEN AND SA'ADI AL-KRUNZ SHAKE HANDS 0.32
  • Embargoed: 11th August 1999 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: RAMALLAH, WEST BANK/JERUSALEM/EREZ, ISRAEL-GAZA BORDER
  • City:
  • Country: Palestinian Territories
  • Reuters ID: LVA3V5IAW1YX2O5HC69GACFGOLH7
  • Story Text: As Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak and
    Palestinian
    President Yasser Arafat prepare for a key summit to revive
    the peace process, their trade ministers have met to improve
    economic relations.

    Israel's new Trade Minister Ran Cohen met his
    Palestinian counterpart, Sa'adi al-Krunz, in self-ruled
    Ramallah in the West Bank on Tuesday (July 27) to discuss ways
    of bolstering peace through economic cooperation.

    Both ministers expressed their wish for better cooperation
    on joint projects.

    "We are going to work together to try and sort the
    problems that we have right now and to help the Palestinian
    economy," al-Krunz told reporters.

    Palestinians enjoy self-rule in parts of the West Bank and
    Gaza but are dependent on Israeli markets for their goods and
    workers.

    The meeting, underscoring warming Israeli-Palestinian
    relations since Prime Minister Ehud Barak took power this
    month, came hours ahead of a summit between Barak and
    Palestinian President Yasser Arafat at the Israel-Gaza
    border.

    "We can go all the way together with the peace process and
    the negotiations between Barak and Arafat and side by side
    make joint ventures," Ran Cohen told reporters.

    The ministers discussed building additional joint Israeli
    and Palestinian industrial zones in self-ruled Gaza and the
    West Bank.

    Earlier on Tuesday, the European Union's Middle East envoy
    Miguel Angel Moratinos arrived at Israel's Foreign Ministry in
    Jerusalem for talks with Foreign Minister David Levy to
    discuss the latest peace.

    "I think we come now to the moment of truth -- is that the
    parties will have to decide," Moratinos said with regard to
    Barak's hope to secure a delay in at least one stage of
    promised Israeli army redeployments in the West Bank.

    Barak, concerned that a quick handover of West Bank land
    to Palestinian rule will weaken his hand, is planning to ask
    for a delay until the two sides are well into their talks on a
    final peace deal.

    Levy confirmed that Barak is going to present "some ideas"
    to Arafat at their meeting late Tuesday, but reiterated
    Israel's commitment to implement the agreements signed with
    the Palestinians.

    A top adviser to Yasser Arafat said on Tuesday the
    Palestinian President would reject any proposal to modify the
    Wye River land-for-security peace deal.


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