We want to agree on preparations to resume final-status talks which should commence in the middle of next month.

I believe this pre-empts and prejudges issues that are reserved for final status negotiations. Any talk of pre-empting and prejudging is counterproductive to the peace process.

We didn't get responses on forming a Palestinian-Israeli joint committee to follow up and observe the operation of distributing ballots, voting and the movement of voters as well as candidates.

Of course, Mrs. Arafat did not mean poison gas, but tear gas. We agreed with President Clinton that the Palestinians and Israelis must resolve their differences through dialogue and negotiations.

I don't think we can classify it legally as an international border now because Gaza is not free of occupation.

Carving out a so-called buffer zone is tantamount to reoccupying Gaza. We are exerting maximum efforts to restore calm.