Visiting US peace envoy George Mitchell reiterated Thursday a prompt resumption and early conclusion of Middle East peace talks between Palestinians and Israelis.
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Visiting US peace envoy George Mitchell speaks at a press conference after meeting with the Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit in Cairo, capital of Egypt, June 11, 2009.[Chen Gongzheng/Xinhua] |
"We all share an obligation to help create the conditions for prompt resumption and early conclusion of negotiations to achieve a two-sate solution," Mitchell said.
After his meeting with Egypt's Foreign Minister Ahmed Abu Gheiton Thursday, Mitchell said that the US president and the secretary of state have made the American policy clear as they are working hard to achieve the objective of comprehensive peace in the Middle East, including a Palestinian state living side by side in peace with Israel.
For his part, Abul Gheit said "America is insisting on the idea of two-state solution, the necessity of establishing the Palestinian state and stopping settlements," adding "the Egyptian view is about 'End Game', which means all sides should abide by the pre-1967 borders."
Mitchell also met in the day with Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa.
When asked about the Arab States' stance if Netanyahu's government refused to stop settlements nor recognizing the Palestinian State, Moussa said that the Arabs will have a "firm stance" towards the negative postures, which contradict what Obama and the whole world are calling for.
"If one of the parties does not want to cooperate at all, then we will have to have a firm stance for such attitude," he said.
"I hope that these negative postures are reconsidered carefully," Moussa added.
Obama told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on May 18 to freeze all settlement construction, including the "natural growth" of existing ones. But the call fell on deaf ears of the hawkish leader, who has never paid lip service to the two-state plan since taking office in late March.
The US peace envoy was sent to the region earlier this week. He held talks with Israeli and Palestinian leaders on Tuesday and Wednesday as part of Washington's effort to resume the stalled peace negotiations between the two sides.
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Visiting US peace envoy George Mitchell (L) meets with the Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit in Cairo, capital of Egypt, June 11, 2009.[Chen Gongzheng/Xinhua] |
(Xinhua News Agency June 12, 2009)
