WEST BANK/JERUSALEM: U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE COLIN POWELL LEADS THE HIGHEST-LEVEL U.S. PEACEMAKING EFFORT IN THE MIDDLE EAST
Record ID:
222796
WEST BANK/JERUSALEM: U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE COLIN POWELL LEADS THE HIGHEST-LEVEL U.S. PEACEMAKING EFFORT IN THE MIDDLE EAST
- Title: WEST BANK/JERUSALEM: U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE COLIN POWELL LEADS THE HIGHEST-LEVEL U.S. PEACEMAKING EFFORT IN THE MIDDLE EAST
- Date: 11th May 2003
- Summary: (W6) JERICHO, WEST BANK (MAY 11, 2003) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. SLV/SV PALESTINIAN LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL SPEAKER AHMED QUREI, KNOWN AS ABU-ALA MEETING WITH U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE COLIN POWELL/BOTH MEN SHAKING HANDS 0.21 2. SV/MCU OF POWELL SEATED WITH SENIOR PALESTINIAN POLITICIANS (5 SHOTS) 0.42 3. SV PALESTINIAN MINISTER OF NEGOTIATION AFFAIRS SAEB EREKAT SPEAKING TO REPORTERS 0.44 4. MCU (English) PALESTINIAN MINISTER OF NEGOTIATION AFFAIRS SAEB EREKAT SAYING: "We appreciate Mr. Powell's reiteration of the American commitments to the peace process. But the point is that up to this point we don't have and Israeli answer. We don't have an Israeli answer. Up to this moment Mr Powell has not brought an an Israeli response to the road map. In order to begin the implementation of the road map in parallel, up to this moment Mr. Powell did not bring a positive Israeli response to the road map." 1.12 (W6) JERUSALEM (MAY 11, 2003) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 5. MCU ISRAELI ADVISOR TO ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER RAANAN GISSIN SAYING: "I think that one can summarize and say that there is some guarded optimism, or at least a real willingness on our part to travel this road, to start this long journey definitely because of two main reasons: one, the strategic landscape has changed after the U.S. victory in Iraq and that changes almost everything around us in the Middle East, and there is a new prime minister and a new cabinet in the Palestinian Authority that is committed, I believe, to try a different role." 1.42 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 26th May 2003 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: JERICHO, WEST BANK AND JERUSALEM
- City:
- Country: Palestinian Territories
- Reuters ID: LVAAQVG2BJPXCBIZADY4O0M30K16
- Story Text: Senior Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat has expressed
regret at the apparent lack of diplomatic headway following
U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell's talks with the speaker
of the Palestinian Legislative Council in Jericho.
Meanwhile the official Israeli reaction appeared a little
more upbeat, government spokesman Raanan Gissin said there was
"guarded optimism" in the Israeli camp.
U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell, leading the
highest-level U.S. peacemaking effort in more than a year, On
Sunday (May 11) tried but apparently failed to squeeze
concessions from Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Palestinian
Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas for ending 31 months of violence.
In Jericho Powell met with the Head of the Palestinian
Legislative Council Ahmed Queri, also known as Abu-Ala.
Following the meeting senior Palestinian negotiator Saeb
Erekat expressed regret at the outcome of the initial round of
talks.
"Up to this moment Mr Powell has not brought an an
Israeli response to the road map. In order to begin the
implementation of the road map in parallel, up to this moment
Mr. Powell did not bring a positive Israeli response to the
road map," Erekat said.
The immediate official Israeli reaction appeared more
upbeat.
"One can summarize and say that there is some guarded
optimism, or at least a real willingness on our part to travel
this road, to start this long journey definitely because of
two main reasons: one, the strategic landscape has changed
after the U.S. victory in Iraq and that changes almost
everything around us in the Middle East, and there is a new
prime minister and a new cabinet in the Palestinian Authority
that is committed, I believe, to try a different role," said
Israeli government spokesman Raanan Gissin following the day
of talks.
Powell is now headed for Amman and then on to Moscow to
discuss both the Israeli-Palestinian "road map" and the future
of Iraq.
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