Egypt: returning back the ambassador linked to approval of the roadmap
Egypt-Palestine, Politics, 5/23/2003

The Palestinian foreign affairs minister Nabil Shaath has stated that Egypt informed the Palestinian Authority and several regional and international sides that it will not invite the Palestinian groups to a new round of dialogue in Cairo before a clear and unconditional consent by the Israeli government to the Roadmap plan and to halt all forms of aggression against the Palestinian people.

The Palestinian minister added that the chairman of the Egyptian general intelligence department Omar Suleiman, who sponsors the dialogues of the Palestinian groups informed him during a meeting that the Palestinian groups will not be invited to any session for dialogue in Cairo without Israel's official approval of the Roadmap and the end to all forms of acts against the Palestinian people, considering that Israel's approval of the Roadmap would pave the way for declaring a one year truce.

Shaath continued "Suleiman informed me that the reason that the dialogue has not succeed -- which was hosted by Egypt -- was because of the inability to get an Israeli commitment to halt all forms of aggression of killing, detention and incursions into cities."

On the other hand, Egyptian sources said that Cairo told the American administration that the return back of the Egyptian ambassador to Israel is linked to the extent of the progress to be attained concerning the Palestinian issue and Israel's acceptance of the roadmap which would be the "right start for returning back to the table of negotiations and efforts to calm down the burning conditions in the Middle East region as a whole."

The sources added that in case this meeting is convened, it will be limited to discuss the question of "managing the conflict" especially announcing a one year truce. The previous session's agenda of the Cairo dialogue dealt with other three pillars: the political program; national unity and participating in taking part in decision-making and forming up a follow up committee to follow up agreed points.

However, this week a new round of inter- Palestinian dialogue will be resumed, Egyptian diplomatic sources announced that the Palestinian groups will resume talks in Cairo within days. But a Palestinian source said that "so far no date has been set." It was disclosed that a dialogue will be conveyed in Gaza between Fatah, Hamas and the Islamic Jihad, noting that if progress is achieved, the dialogue will be transferred to Cairo.

Both the Islamic resistance ( Hamas), the Islamic Jihad and al-Aqsa martyrs groups, who are linked to the Fatah movement are persistent to maintain a reciprocated ceasefire with Israel, with the need that Israel stop killing leaders of the Palestinian organizations and to withdraw from the reoccupied Palestinian areas, occupied after the launching of the Palestinian Intifada.

In principle, the Fatah movement agreed to halt all attacks inside Israel and against the settlers in the West Bank and Gaza while other extremist groups have a different position, stressing the need of continued resistance by all possible means.

Previous Stories:
  Egypt's People's Assembly denounce Israeli decision allowing Jews to enter the Al-Aqsa Mosque   (5/20/2003)
  Egyptian FM warns against Israeli practices   (5/19/2003)
  Maher's statement on peace in the region   (5/12/2003)
  Mubarak phones Arafat on Roadmap   (4/10/2003)
  Meetings between the Palestinian groups to resume the dialogue   (2/8/2003)
  Cairo dialogue to be resumed; A unified leadership of 12 Palestinian factions to run the conflict   (1/28/2003)

Please add a link on your webiste pointing to ArabicNews.com and bookmark ArabicNews.com & subscribe to our daily email news bulletin.

Search