51.   After Ramallah, Chirac and Arafat flew to self-rule headquarters in Gaza City where the French leader put his backing for Palestinian sovereignty into action.

52.   Arafat has made opening of the airport, seen as a key symbol of budding Palestinian sovereignty, a top priority.

53.   Beilin told the meeting that Jewish settlers in non-annexed areas would retain Israeli citizenship but live under Palestinian sovereignty with suitable security arrangements.

54.   The Palestinian legislature met in Hebron for the first time on Wednesday and quickly heard protests over Israeli restrictions on Palestinian sovereignty in the divided West Bank city.

55.   The talks are to address the thorniest disputes between the two sides such as the issue of Palestinian sovereignty and the future of Jerusalem.

56.   Putting his support for Palestinian sovereignty into action, French President Jacques Chirac on Wednesday approved an agreement boosting French backing of construction of a Palestinian port in Gaza.

57.   The majority of Palestinians dislike the Israeli-Jordanian peace declaration and believe it will delay Palestinian sovereignty over East Jerusalem, according to a survey published Thursday.