Foreign Ministry Statement on Multilateral Talks in Amman

The eighth round of multilateral talks on water were due to take place in Amman. In the following communique the Foreign Ministry explained the topic of discussion and the number of participants. Among the forty nations to attend many did not have formal ties with Israel. Text:

The eighth round of the multilateral peace talks will open today, 19.06.95, in Amman. The environmental working group will begin its discussions today, the working group on water will begin its discussions tomorrow, 20.06.95. Representatives from over 40 countries - including from the Maghreb, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the Gulf states - will participate in the meetings. This is the first time that two multilateral groups will meet simultaneously; they will also hold a joint session on promoting environmental and water projects.

The Israeli delegation to the environmental working group will be headed by Foreign Ministry Deputy Director-General Yossi Gal, and Environment Ministry Director-General Dr. Yisrael Peleg. The Israeli delegation to the working group on water will be headed by former Agriculture Minister Avraham Katz-Oz.

The discussions of the environmental working group will center on monitoring oil spills in the Gulf of Eilat/Aqaba. The project includes the construction of three linked stations that will cooperate in the event of a spill. The project also includes training and joint exercises. An additional project on the agenda concerns the establishment of anti-desertification centers in Israel, Jordan, Egypt, Tunisia and in the Palestinian areas.

The discussions of the working group on water will focus on projects whose goal is to create additional water resources, collect data and equalize water laws and regulations.