SINAI (VISNEWS LIBRARY - FILE)


1.
GV Taba Hotel.
0.05

2.
GV Israeli patrol boat. PULL BACK TO Taba Hotel.
0.17

3.
GV TRACKING SHOT Egyptian checkpoint on border. (2 SHOTS)
0.33

4.
GV Israeli flag and checkpoint near hotel. (3 SHOTS)
1.01


FAHMY (MARCH 2)


5.
GV Suez Canal guest house.
0.07

6.
GV Armed guards stand outside as cars arrive. (3 SHOTS)
1.18

7.
GV Delegates outside guest house.
1.25

8.
SV INTERIOR Egyptian delegation, headed by Ambassador Shafie Abdel-Hamid. (4 SHOTS)
1.35

9.
CU PULL BACK Israeli flag ZOOM OUT Israeli delegation headed by Shamuel Divon. (4 SHOTS)
1.55

10.
CU PULL BACK United States flag, ZOOM OUT U.S. delegation headed by Michael Kozak and officials. (2 SHOTS)
2.08




Initials Rdel/JRS





Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: Discussions held to settle the dispute between Israel and Egypt over possession of the Taba desert strip, on the Sinai coastline near Eilat, have made little progress. Both countries claim the one square kilometre (0.386 square mile) area, which was left a 'no man's land' following the 1979 peace treaty between Israel and Egypt. The Israelis withdrew all troops from the Sinai peninsula by April (1982) but persisted in their claim to sovereignty of the desert strip, including the 26 million dollar luxury Taba hotel on March 2, a triparite meeting was held between officials from both countries and the United States, at the De Lesseps guest house on the Suez Canal. This was the first direct meeting between Israel and Egypt since the invasion of Lebanon in June 1982. The leader of the Egyptian delegation, Assistant Foreign Minister, Shafie Abdel-Hamid, said no satisfactory progress had been made, and added that a multi-national peacekeeping force may be deployed in the area. The Israeli delegation was headed by Mr. Shamuel Divon. An official from his party said the talks were a good sign after a nine month freeze in diplomatic relations. The representatives from the United States, led by Mr. Michael Kozak, were present as arbitrators. The conference paved the way for further bilateral talks between Egypt and Israel, and discussions on mutual trade are expected soon.