THE US Secretary of State, Mr Warren Christopher, said yesterday he believed an agreement on the handover of the West Bank city of Hebron was "close at hand".
He said he would urge the Israelis and Palestinians to push through the remainder of the peace agreement, "with the same urgency" once a Hebron deal was in place.
Mr Christopher was speaking to more than 1,500 business delegates from over 70 countries at the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) economic summit.
A massive security operation surrounded the Cairo summit, which presented the perfect opportunity for a terrorist attack. One observer said it was an optimistic sign that Egypt had not decided to cancel the summit faced with the security risk.
The Tanaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Spring, finished five days of shuttle diplomacy as head of the EU troika at the summit. He shared the top table with Mr Christopher and Russian economic minister Mr Yevgeny Yasin.
Mr Spring was the only speaker to be interrupted by applause in two bursts. The first applause came at the mention of European support for the "land for peace deal, the second when he spoke about the urgent need for economic results for the Palestinians.
He described the EU as a friend of the region for the bad times as well as for the good". And he told reporters that he believed a working partnership was developing between the EU and the Americans.
"The litmus test of that relationship is probably the acceptance of the European special envoy, Miguel Moratinos," he said.
Mr Moratinos attended a 40-minute meeting between Mr Spring and Israeli foreign minister, Mr David Levy, yesterday morning.
Mr Spring said Mr Levy had welcomed Mr Moratinos and his appointment, saying he would be "very pleased to work with him".
The Tanaiste said he explained the EU policy on Orient House to Mr Levy, but stressed the Troika's wish to meet the Israelis. The Cairo meeting replaced a trip to, Jerusalem after the Israelis said they would not meet the Troika if it visited the PLO headquarters at Orient House.
Mr Spring said he believed the Israeli prime minister, Mr Benjamin Netanyahu, would have the "overwhelming support of the Israeli people if he fulfils the peace accords".
For the first time in the five-day mission Mr Spring said he believed speculation on a Hebron deal was not unfounded. He said there was "a degree of confidence that Hebron could be dealt with fairly speedily".
Reuter adds from Jerusalem. Palestinian and Israeli negotiators resumed talks yesterday on the Israeli withdrawal from Hebron.
The chief Palestine Liberation Organisation negotiator Mahmoud Abbas, said he was meeting Israeli Army Chief of Staff Lieutenant-General Amnon Shahak in Tel Aviv last night.
Mr Abbas said Palestinians were awaiting Israel's response to proposals on security arrangements in Hebron.
The Palestinian President Yasser Arafat met Mr Christopher earlier in the day at the Cairo economic conference.
"[My meeting] with Mr Christopher was very positive too because we were speaking frankly about all the obstacles which we are facing in the negotiations," Mr Arafat said on his return to Gaza.
The Hebron pullout should have been implemented last March but was delayed after a wave of Islamist suicide attacks killed scores in Israel.
