DATE=03/16/02

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

TITLE=ISRAEL / PALESTINIANS UPDATE (S)

NUMBER=2-287645

BYLINE=LAURIE KASSMAN

DATELINE=JERUSALEM

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

INTRO: Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon will open ceasefire talks with the Palestinians on Sunday. The news comes after U-S envoy Anthony Zinni met twice in two days with both sides to try to broker a truce. Correspondent Laurie Kassman has the latest from Jerusalem.

TEXT: A spokesman for Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon says U-S envoy Anthony Zinni will coordinate a three-way meeting on Sunday to bring about a ceasefire declaration. The meeting will be attended by the senior echelon of both sides and U-S envoy Zinni.

Prime Minister Ariel Sharon will lead the Israeli delegation.

Spokesman Ranaan Gissen says Mr. Sharon will attend the first meeting and then turn over the work on thrashing out the details of a truce to other top Israeli officials.

Mr. Gissen told V-O-A the negotations will deal with a withdrawal of Israeli troops from Palestinian-controlled areas known as Area A. The pullout is a Palestinian demand that has been echoed by the U-S administration.

/// GISSEN ACT ///

Let me reiterate the position of the Prime Minister as well as the cabinet that says we have no intention of staying in Area A. We have withdrawn from the cities and that we are ready to withdraw from all of Area A but it completely depends on the situation on the ground. Very practical things that have to be discussed when we withdraw is who takes control of the area.

/// END ACT ///

The surprise announcement came after an evening meeting between U-S envoy Anthony Zinni and Prime Minister Sharon. Earlier in the day, Mr. Zinni met with Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat and his top aides in Ramallah, on the West Bank. It was his second round of talks with the two sides since arriving in Israel Thursday.

Mr. Gissen says the implementation of a ceasefire will depend on reciprocity but he expresses some hopes that it can hold.

/// GISSEN ACT ///

Guarded optimism would be a better definition of the situation today compared to Zinni's last mission. And the Palestinian have much to lose if they reject this mission.

/// END ACT ///

This is Mr. Zinni's third attempt since November to broker a ceasefire. His last two missions failed to break the cycle of violence that has claimed more than one-thousand-300 victims in the past 18 months. (Signed)

NEB/PT