(21 Feb 2001) English/Nat
Palestinian planning Minister Nabil Sha'ath met with U-S Secretary of State Colin Powell on Tuesday in the highest-level meeting so far between a Palestinian envoy and a representative of the new U-S administration.
After the meeting Sha'ath said he gave Powell the Palestinian explanation of the situation including economic and security problems stemming from five months of Israeli-Palestinian fighting that has killed more than 400 people.
He said he also met with other officials and that they worked to prepare for the meeting scheduled for Sunday between Powell and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.
Powell will travel to the Middle East for separate weekend meetings with Arafat and Israeli Prime Minister-elect Ariel Sharon.
U-S officials have said that they want the two sides to reduce the violence and that Powell would work on that during his trip, as well as on resuming peace talks.
The Palestinians insist that negotiations resume where they left off last month.
Sharon has said he opposes concessions offered by his predecessor, Ehud Barak, and that the earlier Israeli proposals are off the table.
SOUNDBITE: (English)
"It was a very positive meeting, we are also preparing really for the meeting Secretary Powell will have with President Arafat in Gaza on the 25th of this month and so part of the meeting really contained our explanation of the situation we are in. The very difficult situation of the Palestinian people under Israeli siege and devastating economic situation and also the security situation. But also our need to see progress towards the accomplishment of the peace process in its permanent stage."
SUPER CAPTION: Nabil Sha'ath, Palestinian Planning and International Co-operation Minister
SOUNDBITE: (English)
"A greater commitment by the United States to get through the implementation of the agreements and going back to the political process under the rules of the game and the terms of reference. We'd like to see progress that would end the state of misery and siege of the Palestinian people and produces a light at the end of the tunnel, a political light at the end of the tunnel for the Palestinian people and the Israeli people."
SUPER CAPTION: Nabil Sha'ath, Palestinian Planning and International Co-operation Minister
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