Middle East Peace Summit: President Clinton Breaks Silence on Talks, Indicates Some Progress
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: We're going to turn to the Middle East peace talks under way in Maryland. On the eve of the seventh day of negotiations, President Clinton has broken his silence on how the talks are going, saying there is some progress. But he doesn't stop there. CNN's Kelly Wallace is near Camp David where the talks are going on and she joins us with the latest. Hi, Kelly.</s>KELLEY WALLACE, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Hi there, Carol. I guess you can say the president sort of broke the so-called "news blackout" that was agreed to by all sides when this summit began when he gave us a glimpse of just what is going on behind closed doors. In an interview with the "New York Daily News," the president signaled there is some progress. He also, though, said this is one of the toughest negotiations he's ever been involved in, and he also said he doesn't know if they will succeed. Let's show you an exact quote of the president from that interview with the "New York Daily News." He said, quote, "I'm more optimistic than I was when they got here. This is really important. We might make it. I don't know. God, it's hard. It's like nothing I've ever dealt with: all the negotiations with the Irish, all the stuff I've done with the Palestinians before this and with the Israelis, the Balkans at Dayton." Now, when you look at the photographs the White House has been releasing of the negotiations under way at the presidential retreat at Camp David, it is really hard to know what each side is thinking. But, today, both sides are saying that President Clinton's comments reflect their perspective of what is going on behind closed doors even though the two sides have a definite different take of what is happening, the Palestinians saying there has been some progress on some issues, but the Israelis indicating that the gaps, especially on the key issues, still remain wide, the key issues being the fate of Palestinian refugees and the status of Jerusalem. Again, not clear of what is happening today. The White House still hoping to get some type of deal before the president leaves for Japan on Wednesday. Kelly Wallace, CNN, reporting live from near Camp David, Maryland.</s>BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Kelly, thank you.