| ||
| ||
| ||
 |
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Egypt urges Israeli acceptance of road map
CAIRO, Egypt (CNN) -- Egypt's foreign minister on Monday urged Israel to publicly accept the so-called road map to end Israeli-Palestinian violence, but U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell said there is enough in common for the peace process to move forward. "I think the word 'accept' is not a very difficult word to pronounce," Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher told reporters after meeting with Powell. "The word 'accept' is not a dirty word. I think it would be a very useful word." Responding to Maher's comments, Powell said: "It makes no difference whether you have a word 'accept' or not have the word 'accept.' What makes a difference is whether or not both sides find enough in common with the road map that they can begin the process of moving down this road." The road map -- which envisions an end to Israeli-Palestinian fighting and an independent Palestinian state by 2005 -- is backed by the United States, European Union, Russia and the United Nations. "Obviously, there are still comments to be received from the Israeli side," Powell said Sunday. "And we look forward to analyzing those, and the two sides need to talk to each other. But I believe that there is sufficient good will, sufficient commitment, that we can get started." Egypt is Powell's second stop on a weeklong trip that also includes visits to Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Russia, Bulgaria and Germany. He arrived in Israel Saturday. He returns to Washington on Friday. On Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas -- also known as Abu Mazen -- each met separately with Powell about the peace plan. Powell said both sides agreed on enough points of the proposed road map to move forward with its implementation. When asked Sunday if he rejected the road map, Sharon said: "Now it's about details ... I think it's going to be a mistake if we declare now what are the concessions that we are willing to make. Once we'll do that, that will become immediately the start line of the negotiations. So one needs patience and, I would say, experience to conduct all negotiations, and I believe that along those lines I'll be conducting the negotiations." Abbas has publicly accepted the road map. Israel says it wants to see a crackdown on Palestinian militant organizations such as Hamas and Islamic Jihad, which the U.S. State Department considers terrorist organizations. Hamas' military wing, Izzedine al Qassam, has admitted responsibility for terrorist attacks against Israeli civilians and attacks against the Israeli military. Islamic Jihad is a militant group dedicated to the creation of an Islamic Palestinian state and the destruction of Israel. A senior State Department official said Abbas was "explicit in private" during his meeting with Powell about his intent to rein in such groups. The official said Abbas does not want just a cease-fire, but wants to "uproot the violence" -- and would start with dialogue. Israeli officials also want the Palestinians to drop their insistence on allowing Arab refugees to return to homes in territory that is now in Israel. Israelis have said that could force Israel to lose its character as a Jewish state. Sharon and Abbas are planning to meet before Sharon's scheduled trip to Washington later this month, Israeli and Palestinian officials said Sunday. Powell called the development "a hopeful sign." No specific date has been set for the meeting, but it is expected to take place in the next few days, a Palestinian official said. Palestinian Authority Foreign Minister Nabil Shaath told CNN on Sunday that Abbas plans to urge Sharon to publicly accept the road map. Israel briefly eases restrictionsIsrael lifted a closure on Gaza and the West Bank over the weekend so Palestinians could enter Israel to work. But less than 24 hours later, the Israel Defense Forces closed Gaza to travel and imposed a curfew on Qalqilya, a refugee camp north of Jerusalem, according an Israel Defense Forces spokesman. Meanwhile, an unannounced, high-level security meeting took place Saturday night between the new Palestinian minister for security and an Israeli general, marking the resumption of security talks between Israel and the Palestinians, an Israeli source said. Attending the meeting, held in Tel Aviv, were Mohammed Dahlan, a former Gaza security chief, and Gen. Amos Gilad, who coordinates Israel's activities in the Palestinian territories, the source said. CNN Correspondent Kelly Wallace and Producer Sausan Ghosheh contributed to this report.
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
