US Softens Demand on Dismantling Palestinian Militant Groups

Home>>World

Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Sunday, August 03, 2003

US Softens Demand on Dismantling Palestinian Militant Groups

DISCUSSION

CHINESE

SEND TO FRIEND

The United States has softened its demand that the Palestinian Authority disarm the militant groups immediately, out of concern that the Palestinian security forces at this stage are not strong enough to carry out the dismantlement.

As a result of the changed thinking about Palestinian abilities,the Bush administration officials said that they had come to accept the cease-fire that the Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas negotiated with Hamas and other Palestinian groups, The New York Times reported Saturday.

When the cease-fire was negotiated in June, which was supposed to last three months, it was belittled by Israeli and American officials as a poor substitute for tough actions against militants.

Last week, when Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon was in Washington for his eighth visit, he still accused the Palestinian Authority of failing to dismantle the militant groups despite the relative calm in the region.

US President George W. Bush also urged Abbas to dismantle the groups, saying at a press conference after talks with Sharon last week that the most effective way to fight terrorism is to dismantle the militant groups.

"Both sides now think the cease-fire is a good idea and the early Israeli skepticism has changed," the paper said, quoting a senior administration official as saying.

The official said one advantage of the cease-fire was to give Abbas time to build up and consolidate his security forces for a campaign against militant groups.

��

��

Questions?Comments? Click here

Taiwan Ties Mar Japan's China Interests: News Analysis ( 36 Messages)

Shortage of Electric Power, an Ordeal for China's Economy ( 4 Messages)

Using "E-mail" Concerns Chinese Purification & National Dignity? ( 22 Messages)

US, China Co-operate to Fight Taiwan Referendum Plan ( 3 Messages)

60 Chinese Senior Officials to Be Trained in Harvard University ( 3 Messages)