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JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Secretary of State Madeleine Albright meets Palestinian President Yasser Arafat on Tuesday, trying to forge a Middle East peace deal in talks that an Israeli negotiator called the "most serious" ever. Saying the moment of truth was fast approaching for Israelis and Palestinians, Albright spent about three hours with Barak in Jerusalem Monday and a senior U.S. official said they would meet again Tuesday after she sees Arafat in the West Bank. "The talks with the Palestinians are the most serious talks which have ever taken place between us and our neighbors as we head toward a final-status agreement," Israeli peace negotiator Shlomo Ben-Ami told Israel Radio. With seven months left in office, President Clinton hopes to crown years of mediation at a three-way summit with Barak and Arafat. But U.S. officials say the gaps are still too big to fi
Barak has a 68-52 seat majority in parliament. Barak agreed Monday that a summit must be properly prepared. official said Barak wanted Albright to report back to him Tuesday after she meets Arafat in the West Bank city of Ramallah, northeast of Jerusalem. Barak could face trouble Wednesday in a preliminary vote to dissolve parliament, a proposal which Shas's 17 lawmakers have threatened to support. Clinton, who met Barak in Lisbon Thursday, is expected to host Arafat next week. Israel's precipitous withdrawal from Lebanon last month also hangs in the background but Albright said she was waiting for U. and it will be tested within the next few weeks, whether there is the determination on the part of the two sides," Barak added. "In the past few weeks we've seen a certain amount of foot-dragging on the part of the Palestinians. ISRAEL-SYRIA TALKS ON BACKBURNER The United States has put peace between Israel and Syria on the backburner during this trip, after talks between Clinton and Syrian President Hafez al-Assad in Geneva in March failed to reach a deal on an Israeli withdrawal from the Golan Heights. Albright will also meet Israeli Foreign Minister David Levy and President Ezer Weizman Tuesday before leaving on Wednesday for meetings in Cairo with Arab leaders, including Syrian Foreign Minister Farouq al-Shara, and returning home. "It is important for Lebanon to have sovereignty over its territory and that they should work toward that end.
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