 |
 |
 |
|
|
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, February 2007 (photo: GPO)
|
|
|
|
|
|
| By israelinsider staff March 27, 2007 |
|
| |
 Bookmark to del.icio.us |
| |
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas agreed to have biweekly meetings in order to discuss current issues and also to discuss a "political horizon," US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice announced at a press conference in Jerusalem Tuesday morning.
"They achieved something, which is the very regularized meetings between the two of them, in which they will not just talk about their day-to-day issues, but also about a political horizon," the Secretary of State said. She added that the leaders are "not yet at final status negotiations."
Rice praised the Israeli and Palestinian leaders for showing flexibility and said that Abbas "truly desires to be a partner for peace," and that Olmert was aware of that.
The Secretary of State said her envoy will work on setting benchmarks for implementing a cease-fire agreement, and for easing the restrictions on Palestinians and goods through Israeli border crossings. Rice said she believed a peace deal could be reached before the end of President George W. Bush's term in office.
She also blamed Hamas for impeding progress by its "continued unwillingness to commit itself" to the Quartet principles: renouncing terror and all violence, and recognizing Israel's right to exist.
Rice called for the release of kidnapped soldier Gilad Shalit and called on Arab states to "participate actively in the peace process" and help ensure that Israel would be "more, not less secure by ending the occupation and [accepting] the establishment of a Palestinian state."
Rice welcomed the Saudi peace initiative and called it "an example of such new thinking."
The Secretary of State met with Abbas and Olmert on Monday, but postponed the press conference due to disagreements between the parties.
After Tuesday's press conference, Rice was scheduled to meet with Defense Minister Amir Peretz. Later Tuesday, she will fly to Riyadh to meet with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. There, the officials will meet with Saudi leaders and heads of Arab states participating in the Arab League summit, in an effort to advance the diplomatic process. |
|
 
|
|
|
|
Click on the blue headline to read a Talkback comment and respond to it. Click on the  icon to send a private email to the talkback writer. The icon appears only if the writer has decided to be contacted. If no popup window appears, please make sure your popup blocker allows israelinsider.com.
|
|
| |
|
|
