Rice in Egypt gets support for US peace conference
Egypt-USA, Politics, 10/16/2007

Egypt's President Hosni Mubarak today receives US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice within the framework of her US "which aims at preparing for the international conference on peace in the Middle East which will be held in the United States next month," Egypt State Information Service said.

Yesterday, Tom Casey, US Department Of State deputy spokesman said about the US efforts that the US "is working with Prime Minister Olmert and President Abbas and the leaders of Israel and the Palestinian territories to try and help them come to some conclusion in terms of an agreement that they can bring to the broader international community at our conference in late November to be able to show that we can, as an international community, support their efforts and get us closer to what everybody wants to see which is a two-state solution that allows Palestinians and Israelis to live side by side in peace."

The Israeli Ministry Of Foreign Affairs said that its Prime Minister Ehud Olmert "told the Cabinet (14 Oct) that Israel hopes to reach a joint declaration that will form the basis for the establishment of a future Palestinian state. Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni was appointed to chair the team that will oversee contacts with the Palestinians." The ministry also noted last week that Olmert said "'With the approach of the international November meeting, I held a series of meetings with the Palestinian President to explore some of the essential issues which are at the core of the conflict between us, and to find patterns which will enable us to reach understandings on the basis of mutual compromise. We do not have an agreement. Nothing was promised, but we created an atmosphere of personal trust, willingness to listen,'" and quoting Olmert saying " I wish to clarify in the most explicit terms: the November meeting is not a conference which will replace bilateral, direct negotiations between us and the Palestinians. This meeting is intended to provide backing and encouragement and create a comprehensive umbrella of support for the direct process between us and them."

Olmert had said "When the government was first formed, and during the election campaign which preceded it, I made a commitment to place on the public agenda a political process which would generate a deep and fundamental change in the pattern of relations between us and the Palestinians. I said then - and I reiterated it on different occasions - that the first stage in such a process would be a serious and bold effort to conduct negotiations with the authorized representatives of the Palestinian Authority, on condition - and I emphasize on condition - that they would not include any elements involved in terrorist activity. The Palestinian leadership today is not a leadership of terror. President Abu-Mazen and Prime Minister Salem Fayyad are committed to all the agreements signed with Israel, and I believe they want to move forward with us on a track which will change the reality between them and us."

Egypt's Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul-Gheit "considers the visit an important part of the US moves to render this international conference successful" the agency said adding "the US plan of action depends on urging the Palestinian and Israeli sides to agree on a joint document which outlines guidelines of a peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians."

The report said "Abul-Gheit said there is a pressing Arab desire that the US initiative must be successful but there are many points, which if observed, lead to this success. Abul-Gheit pinpoints means of that success as an agreement on achieving a final settlement within a specific time frame; that the Security Council and the Untied Nations resolutions and the principles of the peace conference and the Arab peace initiative should be the terms of reference of the Madrid peace conference and agreement on a mechanism whereby the parties concerned fulfill their pledges."

Meantime, the agency reported that Abul-Gheit in statements yesterday said that "Egypt is well-aware of some circles related to Israel which attempt to spoil the US-Egyptian relations," and that "he instructed the Egyptian ambassador in Tel Aviv to convey Egypt's rejection and resentment over these conducts."

Previous Stories:
  Mubarak and Rice discuss peace proposal   (3/26/2007)
  US views on political development in Egypt   (3/20/2007)
  US supports Egypt's peaceful nuclear program   (2/4/2007)

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

Search