Israel and Egypt moved closer Tuesday to reaching a compromise on resolving the Taba border dispute. But late word indicated a breakthrough heralded earlier in the day had failed to materialize.
Negotiations aimed at resolving the two nations’ conflicting claims over the tiny beach-front territory began Monday and reportedly ended late Tuesday, when the Israeli delegation decided to return home for consultations with the government in Jerusalem.
A largely pessimistic atmosphere pervaded preliminary talks on Monday. But Israeli correspondents reported from Cairo on Tuesday that a possible solution to the land dispute had emerged. It would grant Israelis virtually free passage into the Taba region, in return for Israeli recognition of Egyptian sovereignty over the area.
Israel has developed a luxury hotel and a resort village on the two-square-mile strip of beach southwest of Eilat.
But rumors have been circulating for weeks that an international panel of arbitrators will soon issue a binding ruling that the territory be put under Egyptian sovereignty.
The negotiations in Cairo were aimed at achieving a face-saving compromise that would obviate the need for a ruling by the arbitration panel.
The panel, which was due to issue its ruling in September, has agreed not to do so if the two sides first reach a settlement.
But Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir has opposed any compromise that would give Egypt sovereignty over the territory. Until Tuesday, that also appeared to be the position of the Israeli negotiating team, which is led by Yossi Ben-Aharon, director general of the Prime Minister’s Office.
Ben-Aharon was quoted as saying Monday that, faced with Egyptian insistence on sovereignty without compromise, the Israeli team might as well go home.
MEETING WITH FOREIGN MINISTER
But on Tuesday, Ben-Aharon apparently achieved some measure of progress in a separate meeting with Egyptian Foreign Minister Esmat Abdel Meguid. Excluded from the session were Avraham Tamir, director general of the Israeli Foreign Ministry, and Professor Shimon Shamir, Israel’s ambassador to Cairo.
According to reports from Cairo, the Egyptians indicated they were now prepared to allow Israelis free movement into and out of Taba, provided they obtain permits from the Egyptian consul general in Eilat.
Ben-Aharon was said to be upbeat about the progress, but he stressed that the delegation was not authorized to make any commitments. “There is no agreement,” he was quoted as saying upon his departure for Israel.
The progress Tuesday appeared to be linked to the arrival in Cairo of Judge Abraham Sofaer, the U.S. State Department’s legal adviser, who has been working with both countries to facilitate a compromise.
One remaining stumbling block appears to be determining the ownership of the Sonesta Hotel, once Taba returns to Egyptian control. Egypt has offered to buy the hotel, which has become a major resort spot for Israelis.
There was talk about resuming deliberations in Israel, but no date has been set.
Meanwhile, Ben-Aharon reportedly has extended an invitation from Shamir to President Hosni Mubarak for the two to meet.
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