[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: WILLIAM J. CLINTON (2000, Book I)]
[January 20, 2000]
[Pages 92-93]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Remarks Prior to Discussions With Chairman Yasser Arafat of the Palestinian Authority and an Exchange With 
Reporters
January 20, 2000

Israel-Palestinian Peace Talks

    President Clinton. Let me just say I am delighted to have Chairman 
Arafat back in the White House. As all of you know, I am absolutely 
committed to seeing a comprehensive peace agreement involving the 
Palestinians and the Israelis, committed to doing whatever I can to 
achieve that. The resolution of the issues between Palestinians and 
Israelis is at the core of the comprehensive effort that we all want to 
make for peace throughout the Middle East, and we have to work through 
them.
    As in any process like this, there must be inevitable and difficult 
compromises. No one can get everything that either side wants. But I'm 
convinced we can get there, and I'm convinced that Chairman Arafat is 
proceeding in great good faith, and so I'm glad to see him, glad he's 
here.
    Q. Mr. President, is it possible for these talks to be completed by 
the deadline for the framework agreement? And if not, would you support 
extending it?
    President Clinton. Well, I think that will have to be worked out 
between the two sides, and specifically between Chairman Arafat and 
Prime Minister Barak. And they will work that 
out. I think the main thing I want you to know is that I'm convinced 
it's possible for them to reach a comprehensive peace in a reasonably 
short period of time. And I'm going to do whatever I can to facilitate 
it.
    Q. Chairman Arafat, so far you've got promises and no action. How 
optimistic are you, sir, about the implementation of the accords?
    Chairman Arafat. First of all, a few days ago we did receive the 5 
percent of the territories according to the Sharm al-Sheikh agreement. 
And within 2 weeks we will receive the 6th percent. And this is 
something that Prime Minister Barak and I agreed to 24 hours, 48 hours 
before arriving in the United States.
    There is no doubt that there will be difficulties along the way. 
These are expected difficulties. But there is also determination that we 
have to reach the comprehensive, just, and lasting peace in the Middle 
East, not only on the Palestinian track but also on the Syrian and 
Lebanese tracks, as well.

[[Page 93]]

    And here I would like to take this opportunity to thank President 
Clinton for all the efforts that he's exerting on the Syrian track, the 
Lebanese track, and of course, on our Palestinian track.
    Q. Mr. Chairman, what do you think of the President's remark, which 
was said earlier at the State Department--so it must be U.S. policy, 
we're hearing it all over town now--that nobody can expect 100 percent, 
that there has to be some compromise. You know, we've just had an 
experience with Syria insisting on 100 percent, and the talks are now 
suspended. Will you settle for less than 100 percent of your demands?
    President Clinton. I don't agree with that, by the way, that 
characterization of the question in the Syrian-Israeli talks.
    Q. Okay.
    Chairman Arafat. The negotiations is the best way. This is what 
happened with Egypt; this is what happened with Jordan; and this is what 
will happen with Syria, as well as Lebanon; and also it happened with 
the Palestinians with the help of President Clinton.
    Q. Missing the deadline of February, will that inevitably mean the 
missing of the deadline of September, too, or will you work not to do 
that?
    President Clinton. I don't think anything is inevitable here. I 
think that both these leaders and these parties 
are absolutely committed to resolving this in the most expeditious 
possible way. So I think we should always let them speak for themselves 
and make their own decisions, and I'll do my best to be helpful.
    Q. [Inaudible]--comprehensive peace in the Middle East in that one 
year?
    President Clinton. Well, we certainly could have, and I'll be 
disappointed if we don't, because we have the leaders who can do it, the 
issues are clear--even if they're difficult, they're clear. And I 
certainly think we could have it, and I'm going to do everything I can, 
every day I've got, to try to achieve it.

Israel-Syria Peace Talks

    Q. Mr. President, when can we expect talks on the Syrian tracks to 
be resumed?
    President Clinton. I think they'll both have something to say about that before long. I 
think they'll keep working right along. This is not--you shouldn't 
overreact to what has been said about this. I think they're both 
completely determined to get this resolved in an appropriate way. And I 
think they'll have things to say about it as we go along here. But don't 
read too much into this. Actually, the parties have a framework for 
making these decisions that's more clear and more bridgeable than I 
would have thought by now.

Note: The President spoke at 3:22 p.m. in the Oval Office at the White 
House. In his remarks, he referred to Prime Minister Ehud Barak of 
Israel. A tape was not available for verification of the content of 
these remarks.