Ross with Netanyahu: the American Envoy has extended his Middle East visit

Ross Announces "Good Start" After Middle East Talks

Mr Ross has obtained an agreement whereby Israeli and Palestinian security officials will resume, with American help, regular meetings to coordinate action against Palestinian radicals opposed to the Israel-PLO peace agreement.

"This has been a good start. The process has been set in motion," said Mr Ross. But the American Envoy was careful to play down rising expectations: "To assume we would be able to do much more than this at this time is not realistic. Now we have to evaluate whether or not the results are going to be forthcoming."

Israel's sealing of the West Bank and Gaza Strip - introduced after the double suicide bombing in a Jerusalem market two weeks ago - was criticised by Mr Ross. "Measures that don't relate clearly to security are measures that are not helpful and are counterproductive," he told reporters before his meeting with Mr Netanyahu.

Later, Mr Ross met with the Palestinian President Yasser Arafat. Afterwards, he said: "When we talk on the security basis, we are paving the way to deal with broader issues that have to be dealt with."

An Israeli flag burns at the Nablus demonstration

Palestinian anger was clearly in evidence as Mr Ross held his talks. At a furious demonstration in the West Bank town of Nablus, 5,000 Palestinians chanted slogans and members of Mr Arafat's Al-Fatah group marched with assault rifles. Effigies of Mr Netanyahu and Mr Ross were burnt along with the American and Israeli flags.

One Al-Fatah leader, Amin Maqboul, told the demonstration: "We are sending a message to the Israelis and Americans that we reject their pressure on the Palestinian Authority."

The Americans are anxious to move the peace process forward. Mr Ross, originally scheduled to return to Washington on Tuesday, has said that he will postpone his departure from the region until at least Wednesday. Any further progress he makes could lead to the American Secretary of State, Madeleine Albright, visiting the Middle East at the end of August.

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