U.S. timetable to implement Mitchell recommendations
Egypt-USA, Politics, 6/26/2001

U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell arrives in Cairo tomorrow at the start of a Middle East tour with the aim of cementing the ceasefire between the Palestinians and the Israelis.

President Hosni Mubarak will receive Powell during his visit to Cairo to discuss implementation of Mitchell recommendations.

Powell said before leaving Washington that he has no new ideas on situation in the Middle East.

Former U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Richard Murphy said the aim of Powell's tour is to give clear message to Egypt and the friendly Arab countries that the United States will not turn its back to them, adding that the United States is still committed to playing an active role in peace process.

Reliable sources said the United States had drawn up a timetable of five points to implement Mitchell's recommendations and resume negotiations.

Powell is expected to demand a clear answer on whether both sides accept the American timetable to implement the Mitchell plan, said an Israeli newspaper yesterday.

Ha'aretz said U.S. special envoy William Burns has briefed Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat on the American plan which will supplement the Mitchell Commission recommendations.

The main points are as follows:

The U.S. will declare the start of the 'cooling off period'. It will likely be shorter than Israel would like to see-about five weeks.

During this period, both sides will undertake measures to restore the situation in the Palestinian territories to pre-Intifada status.

Three months of confidence building measures will ensue. Israel will be required to freeze all settlement building and the Palestinians will have to collect all illegal weapons, renew security cooperation, and develop a single command and control structure for its various security organisations.

Israel will carry out the third stage of withdrawal in the West Bank.

At the completion of the confidence building measures final status negotiations will resume based on preparatory work during the confidence building phase.

"It is unclear whether the U.S. will demand a full freeze of settlement building or accept the Peres-Sharon Formula that maintains only construction beyond the fences of the settlements will be frozen," the paper added.

Previous Stories:
  Mubarak review latest developments in the Occupied Territories   (6/25/2001)
  Egypt's relations with US are good in spite of all campaigns   (6/24/2001)
  Maher calls in Washington for the prompt implementation of Mitchell's report   (6/24/2001)

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