Powell urges further violence reduction
Palestine-USA, Politics, 6/28/2001

US Secretary of State Colin Powell said he is traveling to the Middle East to urge Israelis and Palestinians to support the Mitchell recommendations for easing tensions between them.

"I wanted to again give the message that the Mitchell Committee report remains the only item that is on the table and it enjoys the support of the entire international community," Powell told reporters aboard an aircraft with him while traveling to Egypt June 27. " I just want to make sure that is once again understood, and this is the way through this crisis for us all. So, that's the point I want to make."

A committee of international statesmen led by former U.S. Senator George Mitchell released a report in May with recommendations for resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The recommendations call for a cessation of violence, a cooling off period, followed by confidence-building measures and a resumption of peace negotiations.

A cooling off period will be undertaken when "both parties feel comfortable that the level of violence has reached the level that will permit a cooling off period," Powell said. He said he will talk to the parties about putting forth "a maximum effort to get maximum results to get the level of violence down."

Powell said issues of concern to the Palestinians, such as a freeze on Israeli settlements and a lifting of economic restrictions, will be raised during his trip.

"...we expect to see the Mitchell Committee report, which contains a lot in it of interest to the Palestinian side, to be executed in full, as it was written and as it was published," Powell said.

Powell called the Mitchell recommendations "a sequence package," which must be implemented in steps.

"...it is a package that is sequenced. So, when you start down the road of getting the violence under control, you are on a road that we hope the next stop is the confidence-building measures, and then the next destination are the final status negotiations," Powell said.

Powell said the restraint shown by Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon indicates his desire to move the peace effort forward.

Previous Stories:
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  Arafat confers with Powell   (6/20/2001)
  American churches council condemns Israeli crimes   (6/13/2001)

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