Then they said there would be only tiny further redeployments before final-status talks.

The whole idea is to build an environment that would give final-status talks a chance to succeed.

Under Oslo, the final-status talks are supposed to be concluded by May 1999.

On the pressing issues that matter most to the Palestinians: the troop withdrawal and final-status talks, there was no progress at all, officials said.

Under this idea, the interim administrative measures would not take effect until the final-status talks had begun.

If they did, the President himself would oversee the opening of final-status talks between them.

The Israeli Cabinet could return to the issue this summer, once final-status talks were actually under way.

That is to forget about the interim phase under Oslo and go right to the final-status talks.

At the moment, there is a general agreement that the issue will be handled by the borders committee set up under the final-status talks.

Of course the timing for the final-status talks may not have been perfect.