TEXT: SECRETARY ALBRIGHT WILL TRAVEL TO THE MIDDLE EAST JUNE 5
(Will meet with Barak and Arafat on permanent status issues)
June 1, 2000

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Secretary of State Madeleine K. Albright will travel to the Middle East June 5 to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak and Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat in order to facilitate their efforts to reach agreement on permanent status issues, the State Department announced June 1.

Following is the text of the announcement:

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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Office of the Spokesman
June 1, 2000

NOTICE TO THE PRESS

Secretary Albright's Travel to the Middle East

Secretary of State Madeleine K. Albright will travel to the Middle East June 5. Secretary Albright will meet with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak and PLO Chairman Yasser Arafat in order to facilitate their efforts to reach agreement on permanent status issues. The U.S. continues to give high priority to helping the Israelis and Palestinians achieve this critical goal.

Press who request to join the Secretary's official party in Jerusalem may add their names to the sign-up sheet in the Office of Press Relations, room 2109. As soon as an aircraft has been assigned to the Secretary's party, those journalists selected to join the Secretary will be contacted to confirm whether transportation to and from Jerusalem can be provided from Washington or whether travelers must arrange commercial transportation.

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