ROME, JULY 28 (Zenit.org) - The Vatican newspaper, L'Osservatore Romano, is closely following the political evolution in the Middle East and over the last few days has given much space to the hopes inspired by Ehud Barak, according to whom there could be a return to peace negotiations between representatives of the Israeli government and the National Palestinian Authority.

These contacts could begin as early as next Sunday, with a meeting between Israeli negotiator Oder Eran and Palestinian saeb Erekat. Both attended the Camp David talks.

For his part, George Shultz, who as President Ronald Reagan's Secretary of State, followed for years the conflict between Arabs and Israelis, and who at present continues to be involved in these issues, as one of the principle foreign policy advisers of Republican presidential candidate George W. Bush, said in statements to the Italian newspaper "Avvenire": "The time has come to consider John Paul II's proposal to give Jerusalem a special status."

As Bill Clinton himself revealed, the Camp David negotiations floundered when the delicate issue of Jerusalem was addressed.

"The difference between Israelis and Palestinians are too deep and are not resolved by tracing the limits of the city, because they touch on religious and life questions. At the same time, Jerusalem has universal value, which transcends possible agreements between Israelis and the PLO leader. John Paul II is right when he suggests that international status be adopted," Shultz explained.

Some believe that this would complicate the peace negotiations, because a third party would have to be included: Christians. Shultz answered, "It seems to me the negotiation is already sufficiently complicated and has no way out. Moreover, Christians would not come with territorial or political claims, but rather to mediate in the search for a common solution. The Pope has already given great leadership and there are groups of other Christian denominations, which have been working for years on the topic of Jerusalem."