U.S. sees 'promising moment of opportunity' for mideast peace
Regional-USA, Politics, 1/29/2005

The Bush administration is committed to taking advantage of "the most promising moment of opportunity" for Middle East peace "that any of us have seen in recent years," said US Assistant Secretary of State for Near East Affairs William Burns.

Burns, who met with the newly elected Palestinian Authority President Mahmud Abbas and the Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmad Qurei' in Ramallah January 27, congratulated the Palestinian people for the manner in which they conducted their January 9 presidential elections.

"I think it's an achievement of which Palestinians can be very proud, and it's a reminder to all of us that Palestinians do indeed have the capacity for responsible governance and for statehood," Burns said after his meeting with Abbas.

In a January 26 interview with Egyptian Television, Burns said President Bush has talked "very clearly É about using his political capital to try and move toward the establishment of a two-state solution during his tenure in office," and repeated Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's recent statement that the Middle East would be a top priority.

"[Y]ou're going to see that reflected in her personal efforts and the president's personal efforts to take advantage of this moment of opportunity," Burns said, adding "you're going to see both the president and Dr. Rice rolling up their sleeves and working hard on this issue."

Ê"We have no illusions," Burns said after his meeting with Palestinian Prime Minister Qurei'.Ê "Such moments of opportunity are fragile.Ê But we're encouraged by the steps that have been taken so far, and the United States is determined to do everything it can to help."

The State Department announced January 28 that Secretary Rice will make her first overseas trip February 3-10. That trip will include a visit to Israel and the West Bank.

Assistant Secretary Burns said the United States wants to help "in practical terms" to improve the security situation in the West Bank and Gaza, and is looking for ways to provide economic assistance "on an urgent basis" in order to "revive a sense of economic hope" for the Palestinians.

At the January 27 inauguration of a $21 million Maternal Health Care Project in Ramallah that was funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), Burns said the United States has contributed assistance -- totaling nearly $1.5 billion -- to the Palestinians for more than a decade.

"Now, after four difficult years, the U.S. is committed to do more," he said.Ê "We are looking for ways to accelerate assistance, and to seek additional aid from the Congress."

"[W]e will try to show in practical, tangible ways that life is getting better, and hope is returning," he said, adding the USAID project, designed to improve health care for women and children throughout the West Bank and Gaza, is "one part of that effort."

The assistant secretary also called upon others in the international community, including the Arab states in the Gulf area, to accelerate their financial assistance.

Burns said the United States also is determined to help the Palestinians by helping to build institutions in preparation for Palestinian statehood, helping the Palestinian Authority restore law and order and to stop violence, and working with Israel to fulfill its obligations under the road map and to enable greater freedom of movement in response to Palestinian steps to end violence.

Progress on the security and economic fronts "can create a solid foundation for a successful, coordinated implementation of Israel's Gaza withdrawal initiative," as well as full implementation of the road map for peace, and ultimately "a negotiated end of occupation and toward the two state solution that is so deeply in the interests of Palestinians as well as Israelis," Burns said, after his meeting with President Abbas.

The Bush administration sees the proposed Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and from some settlements in West Bank as "an opportunity to move toward the full implementation of the road map," he said.Ê "This can't be an end in itself," he told Egyptian Television.

He said the Israeli government has said it is reacting to President Abbas' steps to end violence by "meeting quiet with quiet," which he said "also involves steps that the Israelis can either take or refrain from taking, which help contribute to the progress that the Palestinians are making on security. "

"[T]hat's an area where the United States, as well as Egypt, have important roles to play in encouraging both sides," he told Egyptian Television.Ê

Burns said he was impressed with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak's "personal commitment" to use his country's relationships with both sides to try to take advantage of the new opportunity for peace.

"Egypt É has a central role to play in both the short term, as well as over the long term leading to a two state solution," he said, adding that the American-Egyptian partnership is also an important element in the effort to advance the process.

Previous Stories:
  Albright against imposing reforms on ME   (1/28/2005)
  Burns speaks about comprehensive peace in the Middle East   (1/27/2005)
  Burns to start a ME tour very soon   (1/26/2005)

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