Germany Urges Mideast Cease-FireGerman Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer arrived in the Middle East on Monday to try to resurrect a failed cease-fire he encouraged two months ago, as Palestinian-Israeli violence continued in its 11th month.Fischer has three days of separate meetings set with Israeli and Palestinian leaders. After a Palestinian suicide bomber killed himself and 21 others in Tel Aviv on June 1, Fischer helped persuade Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat to call for a cease-fire, staving off Israeli retaliation. Fischer stood next to a shaken Arafat as the Palestinian leader made his public plea. CIA director George Tenet negotiated a detailed truce two weeks later, but it never took hold. Beginning his talks with Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres, Fischer said he is ``very concerned with recent developments, especially the (death of) innocent victims.'' Peres told Fischer that Israel is serious about implementing a report by an international commission that calls for a cease-fire, a cooling-off period, confidence-building measures and finally peace talks, according to a statement from a Peres spokesman. German officials played down suggestions of more ambitious European plans, which according to reports include relaunching Mideast peace talks with an international conference. President Bush, asked Monday about Palestinian-Israeli violence, said his administration was keeping in constant touch with both sides. |
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