News Analysis: Why US Trumpets New Mideast Peace Plan?

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Tuesday, June 11, 2002

News Analysis: Why US Trumpets New Mideast Peace Plan?

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U.S. President George W. Bush met with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon Monday at the White House to seek consultations on a U.S.-proposed Middle East peace plan following a similar summit with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak at the presidential retreat of Camp David over the weekend.

Although Bush is yet to announce his version of the peace proposal, what he talked about at his meetings with Mubarak and Sharon has well provided a glimpse of the administration's intention to trumpet a new Middle East peace plan.

The Bush administration's sudden passion for a new peace initiative came right after Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat's statement on May 16, in which Arafat promised to reform the Palestinian Authority (PA) to fend off criticism over his style ofleadership and reported corruption within his government.

Arafat also promised to hold general and parliamentary elections within six months provided Israel halts its incursions into Palestinian-controlled territories.

The Bush administration, obviously perceiving the development as a chance to weaken or remove Arafat, moved quickly to link its peace proposal, especially the creation of Palestinian statehood, to the restructuring of the PA while speeding up its criticism of Arafat.

"Yasser Arafat has never played a role of someone who could be trusted or who was effective," White House spokesman Ari Fleischersaid last week, shortly before Mubarak's arrival in Washington forhis second U.S. trip in three months.

He indicated that the administration was working to expand its contacts in the Palestinian community and to support possible alternatives to Arafat.

"Yes, we are reaching out to others," he said, "to Palestinian legislators" and "reformists."

Speaking to reporters at Camp David on Saturday after his two-day talks with Mubarak, President Bush went even further. Stressing the need to reform the PA, Bush said he happened to believe that "there is plenty of talent amongst the Palestinians."

"If we develop the institutions necessary for the development of a (Palestinian) state, that talent will emerge," he added.

Meeting Sharon at the White House Monday, Bush hammered away atthe same message, saying the Middle East peace process will not move forward without necessary reforms of the PA.

He said such reforms should "enable a Palestinian Authority to emerge, which could give great confidence to two peoples: the Israelis and, as important, the Palestinians."

Echoing Bush's message, Sharon, who has insisted that a "complete calmness" in the Middle East be a precondition for Israelto resume dialogue with the Palestinians, began to talk about the so-called "must" to have "a partner for negotiations," complainingthat Israel has not seen such a "partner" yet.

In a lengthy analysis about the Bush-Mubarak summit, The New York Times said on Sunday that Bush's confession at Camp David betrayed his own leanings which ended the speculations on whether strengthening institutions in the PA might be an avenue to orchestrate the removal or sidelining of Arafat.

Analysts believe that the U.S. peace proposal not only has a slim chance to succeed but also is counterproductive to the MiddleEast peace process which has already come to a halt due to the 20-month-long bloody conflicts between Israel and the Palestinians.

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