Qureia threatens to end peace talks

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Monday, December 01, 2003

Qureia threatens to end peace talks

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Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia on Saturday harshly criticized Israel's West Bank security barrier, threatening to pull out of peace negotiations if construction of the structure isn't halted.

Qureia's tough words came hours before he traveled to neighboring Jordan for a meeting with U.S. envoy William Burns, was returned to the region in hopes of reviving the stalled "road map" peace plan.

Palestinian officials said Qureia was expected to tell Burns that he is optimistic that he can persuade Palestinian militants, in talks beginning Tuesday in Egypt, to halt attacks on Israel. But Qureia also planned to ask Burns to put pressure on Israel to halt construction of the barrier and to withdraw from Palestinian areas.

Qureia did not comment after Saturday night's meeting. He is seeking to present a truce agreement to the Israeli government in hopes of reaching a cease-fire deal that could revive talks on the road map. The U.S.-backed plan calls for a series of steps leading to an independent Palestinian state by 2005.

During Saturday's meeting, Burns repeated the U.S. commitment to establishing a Palestinian state, but said the Palestinians must end "terror and violence" against Israel, according to a statement issued by the U.S. Embassy in Amman, Jordan.

Burns also repeated President Bush's belief that Israel must "end the daily humiliation of the Palestinian people and rebuild trust," the statement said.

Hours before the meeting with Burns, Qureia said the continued construction of the barrier is threatening the prospects for peace.

"If the Israeli government says it will continue building the wall ... then there is no need for any meetings," he said, referring to possible talks with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. "I am not saying this is a precondition, but I want serious positions (from Israel)."

Israel says the barrier is necessary to block Palestinian suicide bombers. But Palestinians say the structure is an Israeli effort to seize Palestinian land. The barrier of razor wire, fences, concrete walls and trenches is expected to run 430 miles along the Israel-West Bank border. When it is completed, parts will dip deep into the West Bank.

Zalman Shoval, an adviser to Sharon, said that construction of the fence will continue as long as Israel feels its security is threatened. But he left the door open to negotiations if the Palestinians make progress on halting militants.

"It's somewhat curious for a Palestinian prime minister supposedly committed to peace to object to something whose one and only purpose is to protect human lives," Shoval said. "If terror would stop altogether and terror organizations would be broken up ... there won't be a need for a fence."

Since Qureia formed a new government earlier this month, Israeli and the Palestinians have been working on arranging a meeting between their prime ministers.

Palestinian Cabinet Minister Saeb Erekat and other officials were to meet Sunday with Sharon's chief of staff, Dov Weisglass, to prepare for a summit, Qureia said.

But Qureia will only agree to meet Sharon if the Israeli premier shows a willingness to compromise on a series of contentious issues, including the barrier.

"If they have an honest desire to seriously study these issues, the meeting will take place," Qureia said.

Qureia's criticism of Israel may have been aimed at gaining credibility with the militants ahead of cease-fire talks beginning in Cairo on Tuesday. Qureia said he planned to attend the last few days of the Cairo talks.

Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher said that if the Palestinians agree to a cease-fire, Israel will have to reciprocate.

?"There won't be a truce for free, everything has a price," Maher said in Cairo.

Israel has said it wants the Palestinians to crack down on the militant groups as demanded by the road map. Qureia preferred a negotiated end to violence.

Burns, the U.S. envoy, arrived in Amman late Saturday after a three-month absence from the region. The road map has been stalled since the summer amid continuing violence.

In addition to the criticism of the Israeli barrier, Qureia was expected to demand that Israel halt settlement activities, stop the targeted killing of militants, pull out of Palestinian towns and cities and allow Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat to travel in and out of Ramallah, Palestinian officials said.

Arafat has been confined to the West Bank town for nearly two years. "We want the U.S. to be involved with all its efforts in the peace process," Qureia said.

The U.S. envoy was scheduled to travel to Israel on Sunday.

(China Daily/Agencies)

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