JERUSALEM, Jan 22 (AFP) - The self-rule elections have in effect turned the Palestinian territories into an independent state, a left-wing Israeli minister said Monday. "The elections have created a new political reality with the emergence of a de facto Palestinian state," said Environment Minister Yossi Sarid of the Meretz party in the Labour-led coalition. "I don't know of any example in history where elections took place in a relatively democratic manner to choose a president and a parliament without this rapidly resulting in the creation of a sovereign state," he said. "This kind of evolution has taken place everywhere, and there is no reason why it should not happen for the Palestinians," Sarid told Israeli radio, assessing Saturday's elections. But Health Minister Ephraim Sneh stressed that Israel would still have its say and not allow developments to run away. "A positive development in the process will lead to Palestinian sovereignty over most of the West Bank, but we are still a long way off," said Sneh, considered a "hawk" in Labour ranks. "An independent Palestinian entity can only come out of negotiations and after all our security demands are satisfied," he said. Negotiations on the final status of the Palestinian territories, after a five-year period of autonomy which comes to an end in May 1999, are due to start in May. AFP /AA1234/220947 GMT JAN 96

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