The Hindu : International : Israel reluctant on West Asia peace meet

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Friday, Jul 23, 2004

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International

Israel reluctant on West Asia peace meet

JERUSALEM, JULY 22. The U.S. and Egypt are pushing to hold a West Asia peace conference to coordinate an Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip and advance an internationally backed peace plan, officials said on Thursday, but Israel's Foreign Minister said conditions were not yet ripe for such a meeting.

The U.S. and Egyptian officials said the conference was at the early planning stages and there were obstacles to overcome — including Yasser Arafat's refusal to reform his security forces and corruption-plagued government — before the details can be finalised.

The Israeli Foreign Minister, Silvan Shalom, went further, saying that such a conference would not be held without the Palestinians first taking ``real action against terror and terrorists.''

`Condition not met'

He said the proposal to hold a peace conference on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly this fall, was first raised by the Egyptian intelligence chief, Omar Suleiman, during a visit to Israel last month.

``I don't think that since then the Palestinians have done what they have to do in order to have the possibility to have this summit in the next coming months,'' Mr. Shalom said at a press conference following talks with the E.U. foreign policy chief, Javier Solana. ``Until they do it, I don't see now that we're moving toward a new summit.''

Mr. Arafat is in one of his most tenuous political positions since establishing his Palestinian Authority in 1994.

His Prime Minister, Ahmed Qurei, submitted his resignation on Saturday following a wave of kidnappings and mass protests.

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