The Hindu : International : Peace process back on track: Mubarak

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Wednesday, Feb 09, 2005

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International

Peace process back on track: Mubarak

SHARM EL-SHEIKH (EGYPT), FEB. 8. The landmark West Asia peace summit has put the ``wheel of peace'' back on the right track, the Egyptian President, Hosni Mubarak, said today. He hailed what he said was a ``positive spirit'' between Israel and the Palestinians and said he hoped it would lead to an ``honest and serious'' implementation of the roadmap peace plan. ``This meeting is an important stop and long-awaited positive development,'' Mr. Mubarak said after talks featuring the Israeli Prime Minister, Ariel Sharon, and the Palestinian leader, Mahmoud Abbas. ``They have met to work together with determination to turn the page on difficult years during which innocent people were killed, blood was shed and destruction prevailed.

``We are meeting here to put an end to this cycle (of violence), to put things back in order and to put the wheel of peace on the right track.

``The task is very great, but our hopes are greater.''

Envoys to return

Mr. Mubarak also said he hoped for a resumption of the Syrian and Lebanese peace tracks with Israel which have also been frozen for several years.

Egypt and Jordan have agreed to send their ambassadors back to Israel, the Foreign Ministers of the two Arab countries said today.

Egypt and Jordan, the only Arab countries to sign peace treaties with Israel, have not had ambassadors in Israel since early in the Palestinian uprising, which broke out in 2000.

Israel and the United States have been pressing Cairo and Amman to send them back as a gesture of good will.

The breakthrough came today at summit in Sharm el-Sheikh after Mr. Sharon and Mr. Abbas made separate commitments to stop violence. — AP

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