Powell Says Sharon Needs More Time to Work Out Peace PolicyUS Secretary of State Colin Powell said Thursday Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon needs more time to work out a peace policy before the United States engages itself in the Middle East peace talks."We're ready to engage in the Middle East peace talks, but we have to give Mr. Sharon time to put his government together ... and give him time to formulate a negotiating position which he feels he can support and sell to the Israeli people," Powell told the House of Representatives Budget Committee. "It'll be hard for him to do that in this current situation of intense violence, but when we get that violence down, you will find that the United States will be ready to play the traditional leadership role that it has played in Middle East peace," he said. Powell made the comments before Sharon's first visit to Washington next week. |
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