Post by Salem6 on Dec 7, 2003 11:36:28 GMT
Palestinian factions meeting for talks in Cairo appear to have failed to agree to a full ceasefire in the Middle East.
Militant groups have agreed only to stop suicide attacks against civilians inside Israel, implying they could continue to attack troops and settlers.
Qurei hoped to use a full ceasefire as a basis for talks with Israel
The decision is a blow to Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei, who hoped to use a ceasefire as a basis for talks with his Israeli counterpart Ariel Sharon.
Correspondents say it has cast doubt over Mr Qurei's presence at the talks.
He may still attend the closing ceremony on Sunday after arriving in the Egyptian capital late on Saturday.
'Trap'
The talks, being mediated by Egyptian officials, have been described as heated.
A representative of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat's Fatah movement, one of six groups backing a full ceasefire, briefly stormed out of a meeting in anger at what he called the inflexibility of the militant groups.
Hamas and Islamic Jihad have indicated, along with three other smaller factions, they may be willing to accept a truce with Israel if it agreed, in turn, to halt military activity.
"We will only accept a ceasefire this time after Israel initiates a total ceasefire," a senior Hamas official told Reuters news agency.
"We will not fall into the trap of the previous truce when we adhered to a truce while Israel continued its aggression."
Fatah delegate Ahmed Ghneim said the factions had not got what they wanted.
"Nothing is impossible but it is looking less likely that we will have a comprehensive ceasefire," he said.
'Non-starter'
Israel said the Palestinian position was not sufficient basis for the resumption of peace talks.
Powell: Roadmap peace plan still has "primacy"
"I would say that such a half-way measure is a non-starter," a senior official told Reuters. "What kind of a ceasefire is it when there is no ceasefire and you continue to shoot?"
Meanwhile US Secretary of State Colin Powell has said that the US is still committed to the international peace plan known as the roadmap.
His comments followed talks with the authors of an unofficial Middle East peace initiative known as the Geneva Accord on Friday.
US Secretary of State Colin Powell said the roadmap still had "primacy", although he welcomed other ideas.
Israel and main Palestinian factions have rejected the Geneva Accord, which was launched on Monday.
Militant groups have agreed only to stop suicide attacks against civilians inside Israel, implying they could continue to attack troops and settlers.
Qurei hoped to use a full ceasefire as a basis for talks with Israel
The decision is a blow to Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei, who hoped to use a ceasefire as a basis for talks with his Israeli counterpart Ariel Sharon.
Correspondents say it has cast doubt over Mr Qurei's presence at the talks.
He may still attend the closing ceremony on Sunday after arriving in the Egyptian capital late on Saturday.
'Trap'
The talks, being mediated by Egyptian officials, have been described as heated.
A representative of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat's Fatah movement, one of six groups backing a full ceasefire, briefly stormed out of a meeting in anger at what he called the inflexibility of the militant groups.
Hamas and Islamic Jihad have indicated, along with three other smaller factions, they may be willing to accept a truce with Israel if it agreed, in turn, to halt military activity.
"We will only accept a ceasefire this time after Israel initiates a total ceasefire," a senior Hamas official told Reuters news agency.
"We will not fall into the trap of the previous truce when we adhered to a truce while Israel continued its aggression."
Fatah delegate Ahmed Ghneim said the factions had not got what they wanted.
"Nothing is impossible but it is looking less likely that we will have a comprehensive ceasefire," he said.
'Non-starter'
Israel said the Palestinian position was not sufficient basis for the resumption of peace talks.
Powell: Roadmap peace plan still has "primacy"
"I would say that such a half-way measure is a non-starter," a senior official told Reuters. "What kind of a ceasefire is it when there is no ceasefire and you continue to shoot?"
Meanwhile US Secretary of State Colin Powell has said that the US is still committed to the international peace plan known as the roadmap.
His comments followed talks with the authors of an unofficial Middle East peace initiative known as the Geneva Accord on Friday.
US Secretary of State Colin Powell said the roadmap still had "primacy", although he welcomed other ideas.
Israel and main Palestinian factions have rejected the Geneva Accord, which was launched on Monday.