VOL. XLI

No. 29

20 July 1998

The Political Scene

At the urging of the Americans, Israeli Defense Minister Yitzhak Mordechai is tomeet with Palestinian negotiator Mahmud Abbas, but neither side holds out much hope thatthe meeting will break the current impasse on the Palestinian track. Egypt has sent itshealth minister to Iraq, and the Syrians and Iraqis have agreed to reopen theKirkuk-Banias oil pipeline. The Security Council (the US included) has agreed on apresidential statement criticizing...