Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat was expected to visit Jordan Saturday to brief King Abdullah II on the Palestinian-Israeli negotiations underway in Washington, a Palestinian diplomat told AFP.
"President Arafat will brief his majesty on the Washington talks and the latest developments as part of the ongoing coordination between them," Atallah Khairy told AFP.
Arafat was due in the kingdom at around midday along with top advisors Mahmud Abbas, Nabil Shaath and Nabil Abu Rudeina, as the Washington talks were expected to get a push from US President Bill Clinton later in the day.
Despite reports in the region of substantial headway in the talks, Palestinian officials were decidedly pessimistic, and violence flared anew Friday in the West Bank and Gaza, claiming at least four lives.
But Clinton was set to meet the Israeli and Palestinian negotiators on Saturday to help push for progress in the negotiations before the departure of the teams, US officials have said.
Palestinian officials have described the talks as in crisis, in stark contrast to other reports that spoke of significant new offers being made by the Israeli side.
In a meeting Wednesday with Israeli and Palestinian negotiators Clinton laid out "parameters" of a possible agreement that included suggestions on bridging gaps between the two sides on the most sensitive issues dividing them, Israeli Foreign Minister Shlomo Ben Ami said.
Abdullah last week received an Israeli envoy to discuss the latest developments and reiterated Jordan's call for international protection for the Palestinian people and his full support for their demands -- AMMAN (AFP)
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