Military

DATE=10-27-2000

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

NUMBER=2-268527

TITLE=CLINTON / MIDEAST (L)

BYLINE=DAVID GOLLUST

DATELINE=WHITE HOUSE

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

INTRO: President Clinton - expressing frustration at the continuation of Middle East unrest - says there will have to be a much lower level of violence before there can be any serious discussion of resuming the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. V-O-A's David Gollust reports from the White House.

TEXT: The president has all but given up hope of seeing a final-status Middle East peace accord before he leaves office, and is focussed now on the much more modest goal of getting parties to implement the truce commitments made to him at last week's Sharm El-Sheik summit in Egypt.

In a talk with reporters, Mr. Clinton said a way has to be found to deal with the root causes of the violence, and he made clear his disappointment over the renewal of lethal clashes after three days of relative calm:

/// CLINTON ACT 1 ///

I'm frustrated. I'm just as frustrated as you are. And it's heart-breaking. We've just got to try to get a hold of it. But don't lose sight of the fact that we had three pretty good days. And I would say to the people in the region not to lose sight of the fact that we did. And tomorrow needs to be a good day, not a bad day because of what happened today.

/// END ACT ///

Mr. Clinton earlier this week appeared to blame Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat for the continuing unrest, saying he thought Mr. Arafat was capable of "dramatically" reducing the violence. But under questioning here, he said discontent over the slow pace and meager results of the peace process is also a factor in Palestinian unrest:

/// CLINTON ACT 2 ///

Obviously a big part of what's driving these demonstrations is a profound alienation of young people in the Palestinian community, who have not seen any economic benefits from peace over the last eight years and who despair that it will ever actually be completed.

/// END ACT ///

Mr. Clinton said he had spent several hours on the Middle East Thursday, including what aides said was a half-hour telephone conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak. The president has proposed separate Washington meetings with Mr. Barak and Chairman Arafat once the clashes subside to try to find a way back to peace talks. (Signed)

NEB/DAG/JWH