Middle East Peace Summit: Talks to Continue in Clinton's Absence
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: Well, it appears Palestinian and Israeli negotiators want to accomplish something at the Camp David summit, signaling both sides are determined to forge some kind of an agreement, President Clinton left the mountain retreat for Japan this morning. So Secretary of State Madeline Albright will guide the talks in his absence, and while Mr. Clinton said there has been progress in the past nine days, the consensus remains elusive. Just yesterday, the talks appeared to be over, hopelessly stalled. State Department correspondent Andrea Koppel explains what happened.</s>ANDREA KOPPEL, CNN STATE DEPARTMENT CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It was literally the 11th hour, just before 11:00 p.m. Wednesday evening White House spokesman Joe Lockhart issued a statement, "The summit has come to a conclusion," he said, "with no agreement." After nine days of talking, stalemate. President Clinton, his trip to the G-8 Summit in Japan, already delayed by a day, was ready to leave Camp David.</s>JOE LOCKHART, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: The luggage was loaded, the motorcade was assembled in front of the president's cabin, people changed into more formal clothing, except for me, to go back to the White House. We were ready to go.</s>KOPPEL: Then, shortly before midnight, a surprise.</s>WILLIAM J. CLINTON, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: After a round of intensive consultations this evening, the parties agreed to stay at Camp David while I travel to Okinawa for the G-8 Summit.</s>KOPPEL: The president said there had been progress, but stressed, in his words, the gaps remain substantial.</s>CLINTON: During the time that I am gone, Secretary Albright will be working with the parties and we will continue to try to close the gaps. Upon my return, I will assess the status of the talks.</s>KOPPEL: And with that, President Clinton was off to Japan, delayed but determined to return this weekend to a summit that now appears to have new life.</s>KOPPEL: And in President Clinton's absence, it is Secretary of State Madeline Albright who resumes the role, as she did last weekend, of chief U.S. mediator. But first things first, Carol, U.S. officials say that all of the negotiators -- many of them actually have been up all night long for the last several evenings in a row and so they want to let them get some sleep. Later this morning, Secretary Albright will meet with the leaders and with some of the other mediators to put together a schedule for their work during President Clinton's absence -- Carol.</s>LIN: Andrea, I know you've been dealing with an ongoing news blackout, as the parties have agreed to not talk about the details of this deal, but do you read into the situation that because the two leaders have decided to stay that they have agreed on at least something?</s>KOPPEL: Well, as you heard President Clinton say, there had been some progress. But just after President Clinton briefed, the White House spokesman Joe Lockhart was asked that very question, and he said: Don't read anything into the fact that the two leaders, Mr. Arafat and Mr. Barak, have decided to stay. There were -- there are still lots of differences, no progress really was made last night on Wednesday evening. And so the only reason they decided to stay was because the prospect of a total breakdown, if the leaders were to return to the region, was so daunting, they decided to stay here, wait until President Clinton gets back, at least with a glimmer of hope that they might be able to resolve things when President Clinton returns -- Carol.</s>LIN: All right, thank you very much, Andrea Koppel.