    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: WILLIAM J. CLINTON (1999, Book II)]
    [November 2, 1999]
    [Pages 1951-1952]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks Following Discussions With Chairman Yasser Arafat of the Palestinian Authority and Prime Minister
    Ehud Barak of Israel and an Exchange With
    Reporters in Oslo
    November 2, 1999

    Middle East Framework Agreement

        The President. Ladies and gentlemen, we have just completed a very
    good meeting. I feel that we have revitalized the peace process, and
    we've got these final status--the framework talks off to a very good
    start.
        The two sides have not only named their teams; they have agreed that
    the leaders will personally continue to meet on a regular basis. They
    have agreed to work very hard to avoid public comments or actions which
    will cause enormous difficulty for the other side in the next 100 days
    or so when they're trying to come to agreement on the framework. And
    they have agreed with me that we might well have a summit at the end of
    this process if enough progress has been made to make us all believe
    that, in good faith, we can actually get an agreement at a summit.
        Q. Is that the framework process, Mr. President?
        The President. The framework process, yes.
        Q. When will you have that summit?

    [[Page 1952]]

        Q. [Inaudible]--their intentions, though?
        The President. Well, when and whether depends upon what we're doing.
    We have a very ambitious timetable here. I think the timetable is the
    middle of February that they've agreed to have the framework agreement.
    So you won't have to wait long for answers to the details. We'll all be
    in high gear between now and then.
        Thank you very much.
        Q. Mr. President, is this more than you expected to come out of
    Oslo? Are you surprised?
        The President. I feel quite good about it. I feel very good about
    it. I'm very pleased by it.

    Note: The President spoke at 6:50 p.m. at the U.S. Ambassador's
    residence. A tape was not available for verification of the content of
    these remarks.