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Morning News

Erakat: Camp David Summit a 'Milestone'

Aired July 26, 2000 - 11:23 a.m. ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: And we have a great opportunity right now to get a perspective about exactly what happened at Camp David. A chance now to talk to the chief Palestinian negotiator, Saeb Erakat joining us from our Washington bureau.

Mr. Erakat, thank you for joining us.

SAEB ERAKAT, CHIEF PALESTINIAN NEGOTIATOR: My pleasure.

KAGAN: A lot of critics, President Clinton said that this summit should have never been called in the first place. How close did you, did the Palestinians and the Israelis actually come to maybe walking away with some kind of agreement, something that could have been put on paper?

ERAKAT: Well, look, I think there were too much expectations, people expecting white smoke to come out of Camp David in 15 days. It is the first time in 30 years that Palestinians and Israelis put on the table the issues of Jerusalem, settlements, borders, the state, refugees, and these issues are the issues of history, religion, psychology, past and present. These are the issues that Palestinians and Israelis breathe from.

KAGAN: Do you see that as progress that you could sit down with the Israelis and talk about things that face to face you had never talked about before?

ERAKAT: I think this happened in Camp David. I think in Camp David we went to the cave, and we installed the lights in the cave. I think negotiations will never be the same after Camp David. I think we have established a strong foundation to pursue reaching an agreement, hopefully no later than September 13th.

I am really surprised at this assignment of blame or throwing blame here and there. This will not serve any purpose. I am really surprised at those people who transfer gloom and doom. I think what happened at Camp David is unprecedented in the negotiations. I've been negotiating since 1991. And believe me, what happened in Camp David, by all standards, was a milestone, and I think we are in a much, much clearer, stronger position that will enable us to reach agreement as soon as possible.

KAGAN: The Clinton administration has been pretty frank, saying the Israelis were willing to give a lot more than the Palestinians were. Are you comfortable with that assessment?

ERAKAT: Well, I think the Clinton administration is very evidently want to help Mr. Barak, and that's their business, but I think the Clinton administration must see the positions of both side, not in terms of what happened from July 11th, but what's been happening since the peace process began in October 1991.

I'm not going to get into the game of assigning blame. It's no good, it will not serve any purpose. I think both sides must focus and continue exerting every possible effort, with the help of President Clinton, in order to achieve our joint endeavor of an agreement no later than September 13th. It is doable, its possible, more than any time before now.

KAGAN: You bring up September 13th. In the few seconds we have left, are the Palestinians steadfast in declaring statehood on that day? or is that flexible?

ERAKAT: We hope that by that time we will have reached an agreement with the Israelis, which I think is doable.

KAGAN: Saeb Erakat, thank you for giving us that insight into the negotiations at Camp David. Appreciate your time, sir.

ERAKAT: Thank you.

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