U.S. Department of State
93/03/26 Statement with Palestinian Leader Husseini
Office of the Spokesman



Secretary Christopher Meets With Palestinians


Opening statements by 
Secretary Christopher 
and 
Palestinian leader Faisal Husseini 
before their meeting
Washington, DC
March 26, 1993


Secretary Christopher:  Good afternoon.  I'm very pleased to welcome to 
the State Department this afternoon Mr. Faisal Husseini, who is the 
leader of the Palestinian group that I met with twice when I was in 
Jerusalem [in February].  I'm very pleased to have him here in 
Washington.  We are going to be discussing progress on the [Middle East] 
peace process.

I feel that 1993 can be a real year of progress here, a year of 
breakthroughs, [and] a year in which we can see the results of 
negotiations.  Only through negotiations between all the parties will we 
be able to achieve a true peace based upon [UN Security Council] 
Resolutions 242 and 338.  Only through negotiations will we be able to 
restore the political rights of the Palestinians.  Only through 
negotiations will we be able to achieve a degree of tranquillity in the 
territories there that have been so troubled by violence recently.  Only 
through negotiations can we make real progress in 1993.

So, I look forward to discussions with Mr. Husseini, whom I met in 
Jerusalem and formed a very high regard for.  I welcome him here to 
Washington.  Welcome--a little handshake for all of you.  Thank you.



Mr. Husseini:  Thank you very much.  We are happy and we are optimistic 
about this meeting.  We really would like to reach that point [where] we 
can remove all these obstacles which are the cause for the stop[ping] of 
the peace talks.  We hope by this meeting [that] we can solve all these 
problems and we can go ahead.  As the Secretary of State said, only by 
negotiations can we solve all these problems.  (###)