GAZA, Jan. 7 (UPI) -- Security meetings between Israel and the Palestinians would continue even though U.S. Mideast peace envoy Anthony Zinni has returned to the United States, a Palestinian security official said Monday.
Chief of Preventive Security in the West Bank Col. Jibril Rajoub said the meetings between the two sides would continue until Zinni's scheduled Jan. 18 return to the region.
Rajoub, who attended Sunday's joint security meeting, which was supervised by Zinni, said the issue of the Palestinian ship loaded with some 50 tons of weapons had influenced the discussion of major joint security issues.
The Palestinian Authority denied any connection with the ship and called for forming an international inquiry committee to investigate the operation.
Rajoub said the security meeting with Zinni was "serious," adding the Palestinian side presented Palestinian steps taken since Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat's Dec. 16 speech that called for a halt on attacks against Israel.
"It was agreed to continue with calmness steps conditioned with getting the situation back to before Sept. 28, 2000, and that all to be linked with getting back to political negotiations and implementing signed deals," he said.
