Egypt’s Appeal for Deportees Rejected

The State Department on Monday rejected an appeal by Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak that the United States pressure Israel to accelerate the timetable for the return of Palestinians who were deported in December.

Spokesman Richard Boucher outlined the U.S. position as Secretary of State Warren Christopher held lengthy talks with Mubarak.

The dispute over the deported Palestinians has raised doubts about attendance at the next round of Middle East peace talks, scheduled to start April 20.

Israel’s offer to take back 101 of the deportees now and the remaining 300 or so by the end of the year has been rejected by the Palestinians, who have threatened to boycott the next round of talks.

The Clinton Administration maintains that Israel’s offer constitutes compliance with a U.N. Security Council resolution calling for the return of the deportees.

“Our position on the deportation issue really remains unchanged,” Boucher said, reaffirming that the Administration is confident that the parties will attend the talks.

Mubarak told the New York Times he would do his best to encourage President Clinton to urge Israel to accelerate the timetable by several months. He will meet with Clinton this morning. Israel says the Palestinians are members of an extremist group that has killed Israeli soldiers.