JORDAN: A SPOKESMAN FOR ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER ARIEL SHARON'S OFFICE HAS VOICED CAUTIOUS OPTIMISM ABOUT A TRILATERAL SUMMIT

Record ID: 400866

  • Title: JORDAN: A SPOKESMAN FOR ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER ARIEL SHARON'S OFFICE HAS VOICED CAUTIOUS OPTIMISM ABOUT A TRILATERAL SUMMIT
  • Date: 3rd June 2003
  • Summary: (U2) AQABA, JORDAN (JUNE 3, 2003) (REUTERS) 1. PAN NIGHT PIX OF BOATS IN PORT OF AQABA 0.17 2. MCU (English) RAANAN GISSIN, SPOKESMAN FOR ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER ARIEL SHARON, SAYING "I think all parties concerned, that is the Palestinians, the Israelis as well as President Bush and the United States have subscribed and endorsed President Bush's vis
  • Embargoed: 18th June 2003 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: AQABA, JORDAN
  • Country: Jordan
  • Reuters ID: LVA3ID8988710YBVXOX3CB8U3JOJ
  • Story Text: A spokesman for Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's
    office has voiced cautious optimism about a trilateral summit
    between him, his Palestinian counterpart and U.S. President
    George Bush set to begin in the seaside resort of Aqaba,
    Jordan.



    A spokesman for Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has
    voiced cautious optimism before a trilateral summit between
    him, his Palestinian counterpart Mahmoud Abbas, and U.S.

    President George W. Bush.

    Bush flew into Jordan for a landmark summit with the
    Israeli and Palestinian prime ministers on Wednesday (June 4)
    after getting welcome backing from Arab leaders for a "road
    map" to peace.

    Bush's goal is to put the internationally backed plan --
    the most ambitious Middle East peace effort in more than two
    years -- into motion with initial confidence-building steps
    that carry heavy political risks for Ariel Sharon and Mahmoud
    Abbas.

    The president, arriving in the Red Sea port of Aqaba from
    a summit on Tuesday with five Arab leaders in the Egyptian
    resort of Sharm el-Sheikh, will hold separate sessions with
    the two prime ministers before a trilateral meeting.

    Raanan Gissin, a senior Sharon aide, said on Tuesday
    evening (June 3) that statements at the end of the talks,
    expected to last about five hours, were likely to focus on an
    endorsement of Bush's vision of a Palestinian state alongside
    Israel and initial steps in the "road map".

    "I think all parties concerned, that is the Palestinians,
    the Israelis as well as President Bush and the United States
    have subscribed and endorsed President Bush's vision of a
    two-state solution," Gissin said.

    "Once that vision stands as the ultimate goal, I believe
    that we can find the proper ways to reach that goal so that it
    will satisfy both the security needs of the State of Israel
    and the demands for our right for a Jewish state at the end of
    the line as well as the quest of the Palestinians to have a
    state of their own hat will be a democratic state living at
    peace alongside Israel. As long as there is a shared vision I
    believe we will also find a shared way to in order to reach
    that vision."
    Abbas, also known as Abu Mazen, is taking centre stage in
    the showcase summits in place of Palestinian President Yasser
    Arafat, who has been shunned by the United States and Israel
    over his alleged support of violence during the uprising.

    Arafat, who has denied the allegations, told the Israeli
    newspaper Maariv on Wednesday that he hoped the Aqaba summit
    would lead to peace.

    The road map, presented on April 30 after Abbas took
    office as the first Palestinian prime minister, calls for
    reciprocal steps including a freeze on Jewish settlement
    expansion leading to the creation of a Palestinian state by
    2005.


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