Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas and his Israeli counterpart, Ariel Sharon, met Wednesday with President Bush in the Jordanian Red Sea port of Aqaba to try to overcome final hurdles in starting the implementation of the road map for peace in the region.
Sharon held Tuesday a preparatory meeting for the summit with the four ministers who are due to accompany him to Aqaba: Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom, Trade and Industry Minister Ehud Olmert, Justice Minister Tommy Lapid and Defence Minister Shaul Mofaz.
Israel and the Palestinian government failed to agree on a joint statement for the close of the summit, despite mediation by US envoy William Burns, but were still coordinating their separate statements, political sources on both sides said, AFP.
According to press reports, Sharon is ready to announce in his speech at the close of the summit that the interim Palestinian state will have a "contiguous territory," but the Palestinians must declare an end to violence, fight against terrorism and return to the negotiating table.
According to Palestinian sources, their statement will follow the roadmap and will be close to Abbas' swearing in speech on April 29. "The statement will reflect exactly what is the roadmap: a Palestinian recognition of a two-state solution, two states living side by side in security, a Palestinian government to put an end to violence, the fact that there is only one legal authority," one source was quoted as saying. (Albawaba.com)
© 2003 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
