Roundup: Egypt, US Agree on Moving Ahead with Political Track

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Wednesday, April 10, 2002

Roundup: Egypt, US Agree on Moving Ahead with Political Track

Egypt and the United States on Tuesday agreed to work together to let the Palestinians and Israel get into a political track as a way out of the escalating conflict. Visiting U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell told a joint press conference with Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher that he hopes such discussions would bring the current situation to an end and get back into conversation that leads to security, an immediate ceasefire and political talks.

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Egypt and US to work together for middle east peace

Egypt and the United States on Tuesday (April 9) agreed to work together to let the Palestinians and Israel get into a political track as a way out of the escalating conflict.

"All of us know that we must get into a political track, political discussions which lead to the creation of a Palestinian state living side by side in peace with Israel," visiting U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell told a joint press conference with Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher.

"I come here at a difficult time when we see violence in the Middle East ... young men, young women, children are dying on both sides," said Powell, who arrived here Tuesday afternoon as part of his Middle east tour.

"It is important for both Israel and the Palestinians to recognize that they have obligations and responsibilities, and they have to make hard choices under the current situation," said Powell, who met earlier with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.

US president urges Israel to withdraw

"What Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has reaffirmed to me again this morning in my conversation with him is his commitment to bringing (the operations) to an end as quickly as he can, and his commitment to moving forward with not only security discussions but a political process that will find a way forward," Powell said.

U.S. President George W. Bush hopes that Israel will end operations quickly and withdraw troops now, he said.

However, it is doubted that Sharon's pledge can be implemented after 13 Israeli soldiers were killed in an ambush bombing in the West Bank town of Jenin Tuesday.

The hawkish Israeli leader vowed Tuesday to push on with Israel's military drive in the West Bank until the Palestinian infrastructures are destroyed following the killing of the 13 soldiers, the heaviest losses the Israeli army has suffered since the eruption of the Palestinian in tifada, or uprising, in September2000.

Egypt is the second leg of Powell's current Middle east tour, which has taken him to Morocco and will also take him to Jordan and Israel.

Powell vows to make effort to defuse current crisis

Powell said on Sunday before his departure that he would spend "whatever time and effort" to try to defuse the current Israeli-Palestinian crisis, although he did not expect to achieve a peace treaty during the trip.

Powell's Middle east trip was overshadowed by Arab criticism of the U.S. handling of the worsening Middle east situation due to Israel's reoccupation of Palestinian towns in the West Bank.

The Arabs have also warned the United States of not joining Israel's attempts to sideline Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.

Security and political talks expected to link

For his part, Maher told reporters that Egypt and the United States have agreed that it is important for all parties concerned to implement the existing documents on the Middle east issue.

"We believe that the only way to ensure security is to link security talks with political talks ... because security can not be achieved through the use of force, but through the creation of environment that is helpful to create confidence between the parties," Maher said.

He also reiterated Egypt's stance that Arafat is the elected leader of the Palestinians. "This is the address where negotiations should be conducted."

In return, Powell said the United States has recognized that the Palestinian people view Arafat as their leader, adding that it is up to the Palestinian people to decide their leader.

"As a leader of the Palestinian people, Arafat has many obligations, and I hope to have the opportunity to talk with him and his associates later this week," Powell said.

Discussions expected to bring ceasefire

He expressed the hope that such discussions would bring the current situation to an end and get back into conversation that leads to security, an immediate ceasefire and political talks.

Earlier in the day, Palestinian Minister of International Cooperation Nabil Shaath told reporters in Cairo that Powell will meet Arafat in the West Bank city of Ramallah.

Powell told Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah Ibn Abdul-Aziz in Morocco on Monday that he was authorized by President Bush to hold such a meeting with Arafat.

Just two days ago, Powell said that he will try to have talks with Arafat "if circumstances permit," prompting the Arabs to doubt about Powell's peace-seeking mission.

The situation in the Palestinian lands has swiftly worsened since Israeli tanks rolled into Ramallah and shelled Arafat's compound on March 29.

Arafat has been besieged by the Israeli army in his office building in Ramallah since then.

Some Arab analysts warned that anti-U.S. sentiment will be raging throughout the whole region if Powell ends his mission empty-handed.

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