Powell: Washington wants Palestinian state but violence has to stop first
Palestine-USA, Politics, 2/2/2002

The Unites States wants the creation of a Palestinian state but the two parties (Palestine and Israel) have first to find a means to agree on conditions conducive to a cease-fire, US secretary of state told Moroccan TV channel "2M" in an interview conducted last Wednesday and aired Friday.

After he denied charges of "unfairness" by the US administration, the US official pointed out it is not a matter of determining who is responsible but the issue is to find a means to create conducive conditions for a cease-fire in order to be able to implement the Mitchell report which was approved by both sides.

He also deplored the extent of violence reached in the region, which makes moves for return to calm even more complicated, recalling that Washington has repeatedly asked Palestinian President Yasser Arafat to provide to the international community explanations over the seized weapons cargo. Powell also reiterated that Arafat has to act more firmly against some Palestinian movements whom he called "anti-peace and anti-cease fire forces."

For Powell, these forces do not only threaten Israelis but they also threaten the hopes of the Palestinian people. When violence ends, he went on, there is a plan in which both sides can participate as partners moving towards peace and two states living side to side in peace, one is Israel and the other is Palestine.

To a question on the US administration bias against Arafat, which could imply that Washington no longer considers him as a valid interlocutor, the US secretary of state answered that the Palestinian people who is the only one entitled to chose a leader and the leader of the Palestinian authority has actually chosen Arafat. He went on that this is the reason why he is closely working with Arafat and insisted that only the Mitchell plan will help resume negotiations in the respect of UN resolutions 242 and 338. There have been wrong doings on both sides, but what is more important is to circumvent violence.

Regarding the risk of weakening the solidarity that emerged following last September's terror attacks, Powell said if the international anti-terrorism coalition exists, it is because everybody agrees that Oussama Ben Laden's Al Qaeeda network and the Taliban movement are not faithful to Islam which preaches peace and support to needy persons.

Previous Stories:
  Washington to receive a Palestinian delegation   (1/31/2002)
  Zinni denies to have described Arafat as 'mafia god father'   (1/30/2002)
  U.S. confirmed tha Bush Administration continues to deal with Palestinian Authority and its leader   (1/29/2002)

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