WEST BANK/ JERUSALEM: CONDOLEEZA RICE HAS TALKS WITH PALESTINIAN PRIME MINISTER ABBAS ON THE MIDDLE EAST PEACE PLAN

Record ID: 646025

  • Title: WEST BANK/ JERUSALEM: CONDOLEEZA RICE HAS TALKS WITH PALESTINIAN PRIME MINISTER ABBAS ON THE MIDDLE EAST PEACE PLAN
  • Date: 28th June 2003
  • Summary: (U7) JERUSALEM (JUNE 28, 2003) (REUTERS) (NIGHT SCENES) VARIOUS ,OF U.S NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR CONDOLEEZZA RICE'S CAR CONVOY ARRIVING AT JERUSALEM HOTEL WIDE OF POLICE CARS OUTSIDE HOTEL SMV POLICEMAN ENTERING CAR SLV OF WALLS OF JERUSALEM OLD CITY WIDE OF CARS PARKING OUTSIDE HOTEL ENTRANCE (U2) JERUSALEM (JUNE 29, 2003) (REUTERS) (DAY SCENES) WIDE OF DAVID CITADEL HOTEL IN CENTRAL JERUSALEM WHERE MEETINGS BETWEEN U.S. NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR CONDOLEEZZA RICE IS TO MEET WITH OFFICIALS VARIOUS OF SECURITY GUARDS OUTSIDE HOTEL SLV DOV WEISGLASS, ADVISOR TO ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER ARIEL SHARON, ENTERING HOTEL SLV OF CAR DRIVING UP TO HOTEL SMV SECURITY GUARD AT HOTEL ENTRANCE SLV AMERICAN AMBASSADOR TO ISRAEL DANIEL KURTZER ENTERING HOTEL (W6) JERICHO, WEST BANK (JUNE 28, 2003) (REUTERS) VARIOUS ,OF ABBAS'S MOTORCADE DRIVING ALONG ROAD INTO JERICHO WIDE OF INTERCONTINENTAL HOTEL VARIOUS, UNITED STATES NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR CONDOLEEZA RICE'S MOTOCADE ARRIVING PULLOUT OF EXTERIOR OF INTERCONTINENTAL HOTEL
  • Embargoed: 13th July 2003 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: JERICHO, WEST BANK / JERUSALEM
  • City:
  • Country: Palestinian Territories
  • Topics: International Relations
  • Reuters ID: LVA2ISIL58310A8701C2PM9XRI59
  • Story Text: U.S. National Security Advisor Condoleeza Rice has met an advisor to Israel's prime minister and the U.S. ambassador to Israel on the morning after meeting Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen) in the West Bank to discuss implementation of the "road map" Mideast peace plan Later on Sunday (June 29) Rice is due to meet Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and other Israeli ministers in her efforts to push forward the implementation of a U.S.-backed Middle East peace plan.
    U.S. presidential adviser Condoleezza Rice began talks with Israeli leaders on Sunday (June 29) to advance a Middle East peace plan after Palestinian militants agreed in principle to a truce and Israel to pull back forces.
    But Palestinian political sources said militant factions drafting the text of the ceasefire deal were arguing whether to mention the peace plan, raising the possibility that a formal announcement, that was expected on Sunday, might be delayed.
    U.S. President George W. Bush designated Rice and Secretary of State Colin Powell, who was in the region earlier this month, as key representatives to help get both sides behind the "road map" plan, which has been battered by an upsurge in violence.
    Bush launched the road map at a June 4 summit in Jordan with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas.
    Rice, who met Abbas in the West Bank on Saturday, went into talks with the Israeli side on Sunday starting with Dov Weisglass, chief of staff to Sharon. She was to see Sharon and his defence minister soon afterwards.
    The road map envisions confidence-building moves by both sides and the creation by 2005 of a Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza Strip alongside Israel, which occupied both territories in the 1967 Middle East war.
    Rice's visit puts the weight of U.S. pressure on Palestinian authorities to enforce a truce by militants, and on Israelis to carry out a troop withdrawal in the Gaza Strip and Bethlehem.
    In the past few days, Palestinian militant groups Islamic Jihad and Hamas said they had agreed in principle to a conditional, three-month halt to attacks.
    A senior Israeli political source has said soldiers would start withdrawing on Monday from the Gaza Strip and open its major roads to ease Palestinian movement in return for Palestinian forces ensuring militants did not attack Israeli targets.
    Details of the move were to be discussed on Sunday and must include assurances that Palestinian security forces would fill the security gap left by Israeli troops, Israeli Foreign Ministry official Gideon Meir said.
    Meir said talks with Rice on Sunday would cover Israeli demands that Palestinians dismantle "the terrorist infrastructure" -- Israel's term for militant organisations.
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