WEST BANK: SENIOR U.S STATE DEPARTMENT ENVOY WILLIAM BURNS HAS TALKS WITH PALESTINIAN PRIME MINISTER AHMED QURIE ON MIDDLE EAST

Record ID: 566266

  • Title: WEST BANK: SENIOR U.S STATE DEPARTMENT ENVOY WILLIAM BURNS HAS TALKS WITH PALESTINIAN PRIME MINISTER AHMED QURIE ON MIDDLE EAST
  • Date: 27th January 2005
  • Summary: (BN08) RAMALLAH, WEST BANK (JANUARY 27, 2005) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. VARIOUS OF EXTERIOR OF PALESTINIAN PRIME MINISTER AHMED QURIE'S OFFICE / COUNCIL OF MINISTERS BUILDING WITH SECURITY AND MEDIA 0.06 2. SCU SECURITY/ BODY GUARD 0.18 3. VARIOUS OF SENIOR U.S. ENVOY WILLIAM BURNS' ARRIVING AT PALESTINIAN PRIME MINISTER AHMED QURIE'S OFFICE AND WALKING INTO BUILDING, FOLLOWED BY U.S DELEGATION 0.38 4. VARIOUS OF MEETING BETWEEN BURNS AND QUIRIE AND DELEGATIONS 1.16 5. VARIOUS OF PALESTINIAN SECURITY PERSONNEL GUARDING 1.25 6. SCU (SOUNDBITE)(English) WILLIAM BURNS, SENIOR U.S. ENVOY SAYING: "The United States, as President (George W.) Bush has made clear, is very encouraged by the recent steps that President (Mahmoud) Abbas, the prime minister, and the Palestinian leadership have taken on security and toward the restoration of law and order for Palestinians and establishing the basis for a ceasefire." 1.45 7. PAN DOWN OF EXTERIOR OF COUNCIL OF MINISTERS OFFICE 1.52 8. SCU (SOUNDBITE)(English) BURNS SAYING: "Of course the Israelis, as progress is made on security, also have obligations. To ease closures and remove checkpoints and to make freedom of movement easier for Palestinians under occupation. So in all of these areas we want to try and do everything we can to help. We have no illusions. Such moments of opportunity are fragile." 2.15 9. WIDE OF BURNS SURROUNDED BY REPORTERS/ BURNS WALKING BACK INTO BUILDING 2.27 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 11th February 2005 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: RAMALLAH, WEST BANK
  • City:
  • Country: Palestinian Territories
  • Reuters ID: LVAD7TXC295C8BAFDQXGCLBWED5U
  • Story Text: Senior U.S. State Department envoy William Burns
    meets new Palestinian leadership.




    Senior U.S. State Department envoy William Burns on
    Thursday (January 27) met the new Palestinian leadership
    after a series of meetings with Israeli leaders to explore
    ways of advancing the U.S.- backed road map to peace.

    Burns arrived in the region on Wednesday (January 26)
    to meet with Israeli and Palestinian leaders to discuss
    renewing the road map, which envisions a Palestinian state
    in the West Bank and Gaza Strip co-existing with Israel.

    Peres met Israeli Vice Premier Shimon Peres on
    Wednesday (January 26) where he spoke of "a very promising
    moment" mediators hoped to capitalise on.

    Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon lifted a ban on
    diplomatic contacts with Palestinians in recognition of
    Abbas's success over the past week in stilling militant
    violence in the Gaza Strip through extensive talks with
    Hamas, Islamic Jihad and Fatah armed faction chiefs.

    Burns arrived in Ramallah early on Thursday to discuss
    reviving peace talks. Burns reiterated the United States'
    satisfaction with Abbas' efforts to reduce violence and
    strive for a ceasefire.

    "The United States, as President (George W.) Bush has
    made clear, is very encouraged by the recent steps that
    President (Mahmoud) Abbas, the prime minister, and the
    Palestinian leadership have taken on security and toward
    the restoration of law and order for Palestinians and
    establishing the basis for a ceasefire," Burns said after
    meeting Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qurie.

    "Of course the Israelis, as progress is made on
    security, also have obligations. To ease closures and
    remove checkpoints and to make freedom of movement easier
    for Palestinians under occupation. So in all of these areas
    we want to try and do everything we can to help. We have
    no illusions. Such moments of opportunity are fragile," Burns told
    repo
    rters.

    Burns is scheduled to meet the Palestinian President
    Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon later
    on Thursday. Upon Burns arrival in the region, Israeli
    media reported that the new elected U.S. Secretary of State
    Condoleeza Rice would visit the region in the coming weeks
    in an effort to capture the momentum as talks of the first
    summit between Abbas and Sharon appeared closer than ever.

    Israel and the Palestinians ended a nearly two-year
    freeze in high-level diplomatic contacts on Wednesday and
    agreed to prepare for the summit.

    The dialogue, to resume next week to decide a summit
    agenda, aims to build on a lull in Palestinian militant
    attacks secured by Abbas since his January 9 election as
    Yasser Arafat's successor on a platform to end bloodshed
    raging since 2000 and talk peace.

    Steps to cement a de facto ceasefire accelerated on the
    ground as Palestinian security men began deploying in south
    Gaza to stamp out lingering, isolated violence by
    militants. Calm has prevailed in north Gaza since a similar
    deployment last week.

    There had been no high-level Middle East diplomacy
    since June 2003 when Abbas, then prime minister under
    Arafat, Sharon and U.S. President George W. Bush met to
    launch a "road map" peace plan that was swiftly stalled by
    more fighting.


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