Communiqué of the Continuing Ministerial Committee
On Persons Displaced
From the West Bank and Gaza Strip in 1967
Cairo, 6 February 2000

         Upon the invitation of the Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Arab Republic of Egypt and in accordance with Article 12 of the Palestinian-Israeli Declaration of Principles signed in Washington on 13 September 1993, which called for "the establishment of a continuing committee that will decide by agreement on the modalities of admission of persons displaced from the West Bank and Gaza strip in 1967" and pursuant to Article 8 of the Jordan- Israel treaty and the relevant article in the Camp David accords; and pursuant to Article 4 of the Sharm El Sheikh Memorandum signed on 4 September 1999, the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Egypt, Jordan, Israel, and the Minister of Planning and International Cooperation of the Palestinian Authority have convened the second Ministerial meeting of the Committee, in Cairo on 6 February 200.

        The Ministerial Committee discussed the outcome of the seven technical committee meetings which were held during the period of 1995 - 1997 I and deliberated on ways and means to facilitate the admission of displaced Palestinians and to look into the follow-up mechanisms for their admission. The ministers reconfirmed the understanding that the issue of displaced persons is an interim Issue and therefore must not be deferred to the agenda of the permanent status negotiations.

          The Ministers reaffirmed the importance of the issue, considering that it is a significant step in implementing the Palestinian Israeli understandings, and enhancing the efforts to reach a just and lasting peace in the region.

        They agreed on the resumption of the committee at the technical level, which is to be held every two weeks. The first meeting will be held within two weeks from today in Israel.

        The Committee should reach an agreement on the following topics:

1. The Palestinian Side, as well as the other parties, will submit to the Committee lists of displaced persons for admission.
2. Reaching an agreement on the format of the "Form for Admission" intended to be completed by displaced persons.
3. Establishing a mechanism for the admission of the displaced Palestinians.
4. Continuing the data gathering regarding the numbers of the displaced persons.

The Technical Committee will report on its discussions to the M1nisterlal Committee which will meet no later than three months from this date.