THE US Secretary of State, Mr Warren Christopher, voicing concern at "the recent drift" in the Middle East peace process, yesterday said a special envoy, Mr Dennis Ross, would go to the region at the weekend.
"The President and I have been concerned about the recent drift in the peace process," Mr Christopher said. "To re-energise this effort we are sending Dennis Ross to the region this weekend."
Mr Christopher said Mr Ross would "report on the status of negotiations there" and would return before Christmas "so that we can have an up-to-date assessment".
Both Mr Christopher and President Clinton have voiced frustration with the slow pace of negotiations over the pullout of Israeli troops from the West Bank town of Hebron and over Israel's policy on West Bank settlements.
Israel and the Palestinian Authority renewed talks on Monday. Hebron is the last of seven West Bank towns from which Israeli troops are supposed to redeploy under previous accords, but the talks are bogged down over security arrangements for Hebron's 400 Jews.
The Israeli Foreign Minister, Mr David Levy, held talks with Jordan's Prime Minister, Mr Abdiil-Karim al-Kabariti, yesterday.
Mr Levy did not speak to reporters as he left Mr Kabariti's office for talks with King Hussein. Earlier this week, Mr Kabariti warned Israel that its encouragement of Jewish settlements on occupied Arab land threatened to torpedo. Israeli-Palestinian talks.
In Rome, the Palestinian President, Mr Yasser Arafat, said yesterday Pope John Paul II had accepted his invitation to visit Bethlehem in the year 2000.
Mr Arafat also said some Palestinians would fast this Christmas Day in Bethlehem to protest against Israeli closures on the West Bank.