A US-led commission of inquiry into the spiral of Middle East bloodletting arrived in Cairo Tuesday for consultations with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, reported AFP.
The five-member panel, headed by former US senator and Northern Ireland mediator George Mitchell, began its work with talks with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak in Jerusalem and later with Palestinian President Yasser Arafat in Gaza City.
The investigating body began work two months after being set up amid deep divisions between Israel and the Palestinians over its mission.
After Cairo, it was scheduled to continue its mission in Amman where it will meet King Abdullah.
Arafat described the mission as "important to push forward and protect the peace process."
A Barak spokesman said after the three-hour meeting the prime minister had assured the committee of Israel's "full cooperation and maximum assistance."
Mitchell said after the meeting that he hoped the committee will reduce the Israeli-Palestinian violence, and will help pave the way for a resumption of peace talks, reported Haaretz newspaper.
Mitchell added that both sides have promised to cooperate with the panel, which is to remain in the region for three days.
Israel fought against establishing the commission, viewing it as part of a Palestinian drive to pressure Israel, and control its military and diplomatic policies with respect to the Palestinians. But Barak relented under intense pressure by US President Bill Clinton, who pledged that Israel's ally Washington would retain ultimate authority over the panel and its findings, the paper added.
The Palestinians last week accused Israel of trying to dilute the powers of the committee, said AFP.
"It has become clear that Israel is trying to dilute the mandate of the commission so that it will only have a ceremonial function," Palestinian information minister Yasser Abed Rabbo charged Thursday -- (Several Sources)
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