GAZA CITY, Aug 22 (AFP) - The Palestinians
said they had made progress in talks with Israel Monday on the future patrolling
of the border between Egypt and the Gaza Strip after the withdrawal of
Jewish settlers.
"Progress was made over the crossing
points and the transfer of rubble from the settlements" which are
to be demolished, the minister in charge of the talks, Mohammed Dahlan,
told reporters.
"We do not want a single Israeli soldier to remain in (the border town of) Rafah. They are leaving the Gaza Strip and aiming to definitively get out of our lives, so consequently they have no reason to stay in the Rafah terminal."
Dahlan said the Palestinians would demand complete freedom of movement for travellers passing through the crossing and said they were prepared to give Israel security guarantees through the presence of a third party.
"We want absolute freedom of movement for people coming in or going out. If Israel wants security guarantees, we are not against this. We have proposed the presence of a third party such as the European Union to ensure there will be no more smuggling."
Israel has long been reluctant to hand over control of the border to the Palestinians, for fear it would allow militants to smuggle in weapons from Egypt.
Dahlan also said Israel had agreed to take away any "toxic waste" left behind by the settlers, the last of whom were being evacuated Monday, and dispose of it on its own territory.
As for the rubble of the settlers' demolished homes, the talks focused on removing it to "a third destination", he said without elaborating.
Palestinian leader Mahmud Abbas said in an interview published last week that most of the rubble should be buried in Egypt's Sinai desert while the rest would be used in construction projects, such as a planned port on the site of the Jewish settlement of Netzarim.
sa-ezz/hmw/kir
Copyright (c) 2005 Agence France-Presse
Received by NewsEdge Insight: 08/22/2005 11:12:44