PNA Commits to Egyptian-Jordanian Initiative: ArafatThe Palestinian National Authority (PNA) would commit to the Egyptian-Jordanian initiative aimed at ending the ongoing violence between the Palestinians and Israel and resuming peace negotiations, Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat said Sunday.Arafat made the remarks during his separate telephone conversations with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and Jordanian King Abdullah II, according to Arafat's media advisor Nabil Abu Redina. The Palestinian side is still working with all parties concerned to persuade the Israeli side to accept the initiative, the advisor added. Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres flew to Egypt and Jordan on Sunday to hold talks with Mubarak in Cairo and with Abdullah in Aqaba, southern Red Sea resort of Jordan, to voice Israel's views on the initiative. Upon his return to Israel, Peres said that "Israel has not yet responded to the proposal and I will brief Sharon on this matter and the Israeli government will decide on it soon." Israel insisted on amending some provisions of the initiative which was offered to Israel by Jordanian Foreign Minister Abdel Ilah al-Khatib on April 16. It demanded that the Palestinians stop violence, but it declined to suspend construction of Jewish settlements. However, the Palestinians opposed to any change to the initiative, saying that the Egyptian-Jordanian proposal is the only way to implement memos of understanding reached with Israel in Egyptian Red Sea resort Sharm el Sheikh last year and demanding Israel stop all settlement activities. Peres is scheduled to leave for Washington Sunday night for a four-day visit to the United States, during which he will hold talks with U.S. official on the developments in the Middle East. |
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