Israel accepts U.S. concept

JERUSALEM, JAN. 8. Israel said today it had accepted the U.S. President, Mr. Bill Clinton's ideas for a peace deal as a basis for negotiations and was discouraged by the Palestinian rejection of his proposal.

``We consider his ideas as a basis for the continuation of negotiations,'' said the Deputy Defence Minister, Mr. Ephraim Sneh.

In New York yesterday, Mr. Clinton outlined in public for the first time what he called parametres for an Israeli- Palestinian peace deal to end the 52-year-old conflict.

Senior Palestinian officials rejected the ideas, including those for dividing Jerusalem and the fate of Palestinian refugees.

``It's regrettable that Palestinian senior officials flatly reject his ideas,'' Mr. Sneh added. The Prime Minister, Mr. Ehud Barak, had previously accepted the Clinton proposals as a basis for talks.

- Reuters

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Section  : International
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