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Israel demands security before Palestinian state
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice heard a strong message from Israel on Sunday that security must precede the creation of a Palestinian state, as she sought to bridge gaps ahead of a peace meeting.Making her eighth visit this year for shuttle diplomacy between Israel and the Palestinians, Rice lowered expectations of an imminent agreement on a joint document for the US-sponsored conference she hopes could revive peace talks. The internationally drafted peace plan has made next to no progress since it was adopted in June 2003, and has already missed its first deadline for creating a Palestinian state living in peace alongside a secure Israel. Israeli negotiators, headed by Livni, and their Palestinian counterparts have been divided for weeks over a joint document they are supposed to draw up for the meeting aimed at reviving the peace process after a seven-year hiatus. Not a single word has yet been written for the conference document and wide gaps remain between Israel and the Palestinians, although both sides have agreed that commitment to the roadmap would be part of the statement. Another terror state: The meaning is security for Israel first and then the establishment of a Palestinian state because nobody wants to see another terror state in the region, said Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, greeting Rice for breakfast. Though we need to find a common ground with the pragmatic Palestinian leaders, they need to understand that the implementation of future understandings will be implemented only according to the roadmap. The Palestinians want the document to tackle the most intractable problems of the conflict - namely borders, refugees and the status of Jerusalem - and a timetabled implementation, while Israel favours a looser statement.I dont expect to reach an agreement on a document, Rice told reporters travelling on her plane to Tel Aviv late on Saturday. Posted by: Fred 2007-11-05 |
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