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Sharon To Head âPeace Talksâ With Abu Mazen Personally
Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon will head negotiations with the Palestinians himself and may resume contacts with newly-appointed Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmud Abbas shortly, Israeli media said. Sharon told his ministers at a weekly cabinet meeting of his intention to personally head negotiations which are set to resume with a new U.S.-led peace initiative. The radio added that a meeting was imminent between the right-wing Sharon and Abbas, whom Israel sees as a pragmatic moderate ready to demilitarize the Palestinian Intifada. The radio said the meeting should take place after Israel's Independence Day celebrations Wednesday. Abbas' new security chief, Mohammed Dahlan, has already initiated contacts to enable the two leaders to meet. Sharon met Sunday with his Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz at the weekly cabinet meeting to discuss security issues with the Palestinians. The move toward resuming talks, which broke down some 18 months ago amid rising violence, came as U.S. Middle East envoy William Burns arrived in Israel to meet officials from both Israel and the Palestinian administration ahead of a visit by U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell.
Posted by: Fred Pruitt 2003-05-04 |
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| http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=13837 |