Israeli Minister Cites Progress İn Peace Talks

Israeli Environmental Protection Minister Amir Peretz has spoken of tangible progress in peace talks made during a meeting between Palestinian and Israeli negotiators late Tuesday.



Peretz, a leader of top Israeli negotiator Tzipi Livni's Hatnua party, described the Tuesday meeting as "a lot better" than previous meetings, the Israel Radio reported Wednesday.



If there is no peace drive, he said, there would be no reason for Hatnua to stay in the Israeli government.



The Israeli Haaretz daily had "ed unnamed sources as saying that the meeting had ended with no breakthrough.



Palestinian sources, meanwhile, declined to comment on the meeting which brought together chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat, intelligence chief Maged Farag, Livni and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's envoy Yitzhak Molcho.



The meeting was attended by U.S. Mideast peace envoy Martin Indyk.



Prospects for a peace deal between Israel and the Palestinians appeared to crumble late last month after Israel refused to release 26 Palestinian prisoners despite earlier pledges.



Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas retaliated by applying for Palestinian membership in 15 U.N. agencies and conventions.



Peace talks between Israeli and Palestinian negotiators resumed in Washington last July after a nearly three-year hiatus.



By Alaa Rimawi



englishnews@aa.com.tr - Kudüs