EGYPT'S Foreign Minister, Ahmed Aboul Gheit, has presented Cairo's decision concerning the current peace efforts between Palestinians and Israelis at the Arab Ministerial meeting.
The Egyptian stance, he said, "is based on focusing on ending the conflict, and not consuming time on talking about issues which - despite their importance - leads to details and not to the final objective; which is the final settlement of the conflict."
Mohamed Saber, Counselor and Media officer at the Egyptian Embassy, Abuja informed The Guardian yesterday that Aboul Gheit stressed that the stances expressed by the American President Barack Obama and his administration on this issue "deserve respect that it might provide a real opportunity to reach a historic settlement, in case good intentions are available; and if Israel let this effort take its path with neither obstruction nor avoiding cooperation with it."
"Achieving peace demands serious negotiation based on what has been achieved in the previous negotiations, not beginning from square one with every new government in Israel," he said.
Arab countries want to listen to the American vision on a general framework for conflict resolution, building on what has been previously described, such as Obama's vision and Clinton standards and the other known proposals for settling the conflict, ending the Israeli occupation and establishing the independent Palestinian state.
The Foreign Minister, according to Saber, pointed to the necessity of confirming that the border lines of June 4, 1967 constitute the base of negotiations between the two sides.
The Arab stance, which is to be issued by the Arab Ministerial meeting, deals with the current situation through keeping the basics of the Arab situation. It is expected to be more flexible and open in order to provide the Palestinians with power and support to proceed in the upcoming phase, confident of Arabs support in negotiation.
The Foreign Minister concluded that it is important to consolidate this collective Arab stance. It should be employed to allow Arabs to work with the US administration and other parties in order to achieve just and comprehensive peace in the region, not only through settling the Palestinian track, but also to find the necessary resolutions on the Syrian and Lebanese tracks
Meanwhile, an Israeli official yesterday said his government postponed a meeting between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Washington's top Middle East envoy because it wanted more time to iron out differences over settlements.
The meeting with former Sen. George Mitchell was to have taken place in Paris where Netanyahu is visiting. Netanyahu aides said Defence Minister Ehud Barak would instead meet Mitchell next week in Washington.
A senior official traveling with Netanyahu said Wednesday that Israel sought "more professional work" before the meeting. The official, speaking on condition of anonymity because the U.S.-Israel discussions were confidential, said settlement construction was one of those issues. Israel insists "natural growth" of existing Jewish communities in the West Bank must be allowed.
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