Kindgo
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Washington -- Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs
William Burns told Arab journalists March 6 that the United States
will engage -- along with Russia, the European Union and the United
Nations, the other members of the so-called "Quartet" -- in a vigorous
effort to revive political negotiations between the Palestinians and
Israelis.
In a digital video exchange with correspondents in London and
Washington, Burns noted, "The president has made very clear that, in
his view, inaction on the Palestine-Israeli issue is just as dangerous
as inaction on other challenges in the region. Last June, he laid out
a simple but profoundly important vision -- the emergence of an
independent, sovereign, democratic Palestine, living in peace and
security, at dignity, alongside the state of Israel."
"That vision does not operationalize itself," Burns said, noting that
the United States and its Quartet partners are working to develop a
practical plan of action, the so-called "roadmap."
"The president again in his speech last week reinforced his personal
commitment to the roadmap effort. It is a basis on which to move back
to a political process between Palestinians and Israelis. This is of
profound importance, not just to those two peoples and their future
but also to the region as a whole. That is something we understand
very clearly," he stressed.
"Both the president and Secretary Powell have emphasized their
personal determination to take that vision, take that roadmap, and do
everything we can to make it a reality. That will involve some very
difficult obligations on both parties, as well as the United States,
as well as our friends in the region," he continued.
Burns then reviewed some of the obligations. On the Palestinian side,
he underscored the need to build strong political institutions -- an
effort in the self-interest of Palestinians. Secondly, he said
Palestinians must to move against violence and terror.
"Israel has obligations, to," he said. "They include acting decisively
to ease the daily humiliations of Palestinians living under
occupation, helping to rebuild a sense of hope for an early negotiated
end to the occupation which began in 1967, and it also includes the
cessation of settlement activity, as the president and Secretary
Powell have made clear. Those are not easy things to do either, but
these are extremely important if that roadmap is to become a real
diplomatic effort rather than just seven pages of paper."
Asked why the roadmap had not been made public, Burns said he
recognized the deep skepticism of people in the region towards both
the roadmap and American intentions, but he was not able to provide a
date.
"I know that action speaks a lot louder than words," he said. "I
believe you will see a serious diplomatic effort to use the roadmap as
a basis to re-ignite a political process and move away from the terror
and violence."
"I cannot give you a precise time for the formal publication and
release of the roadmap. It's something we're consulting quite actively
on with our Quartet partners. But the president and the secretary have
made quite clear their sense of urgency that they have about this
issue," Burns said.
"As you know better than I do," he told the Arab journalists, "the
region is in a very complex state and a very combustible state in many
ways. Addressing the challenges of the region will require movement on
a number of fronts: Iraq, and ensuring its disarmament consistent with
Security Council resolutions... .And support of the efforts and
leaderships in the region themselves to open up economically and
politically."
Given the magnitude of the challenges and stakes for people in the
region, Burns emphasized the mutual interest of all parties to consult
closely and to try to pursue policies that reflect the strongest
possible consensus, acknowledging the difficult decisions inherent in
the process.
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God bless,
Kindgo
Inside the will of God there is no failure. Outside the will of God there is no success.
Posts: 4320 | From: Sunny Florida | Registered: Jun 2002
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