Post by Salem6 on Dec 12, 2003 18:12:24 GMT
Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom has called for peace talks with the Palestinians to be resumed immediately.
Silvan Shalom outlines Israel's new "positive agenda"
Speaking after a meeting with US Secretary of State Colin Powell, Mr Shalom said he believed the US could play a key role in the process.
He said Israel would unveil new plans to promote the dialogue next week.
He added that Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and his Palestinian counterpart, Ahmed Qurei, would hold talks "in the near future".
"We talked about many issues including the plans of the Israeli government and the Israeli prime minister," the foreign minister told reporters after his meeting in Washington.
But Mr Shalom refused to give any details of the plans Mr Sharon had in mind.
"I believe that the prime minister will announce his new plan next week and we will leave him to do it," he said.
He said that the date for the talks between the two leaders depended on the "willingness of the Palestinians".
"Although there are many initiatives around, the only game in town is still the roadmap." Colin Powell US Secretary of State
Pressure
Mr Shalom said the US had played a constructive role in negotiations in the past and could play a key role once again.
He told reporters that during their talks Mr Powell said "although there are many initiatives around, the only game in town is still the roadmap which was invented by the Americans".
The BBC's Jon Leyne in Washington says Mr Shalom's comments come as the Israeli Government faces pressure from public opinion in Israel to play a more positive role in the latest peace plan - known as the roadmap.
There are also signs that the Bush administration is anxious to see a revival of Israeli-Palestinian peace talks.
According to a BBC correspondent in Washington, Mr Shalom's remarks are an attempt to pre-empt that pressure so that the Israeli Government is not seen as the party blocking moves to peace.
Silvan Shalom outlines Israel's new "positive agenda"
Speaking after a meeting with US Secretary of State Colin Powell, Mr Shalom said he believed the US could play a key role in the process.
He said Israel would unveil new plans to promote the dialogue next week.
He added that Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and his Palestinian counterpart, Ahmed Qurei, would hold talks "in the near future".
"We talked about many issues including the plans of the Israeli government and the Israeli prime minister," the foreign minister told reporters after his meeting in Washington.
But Mr Shalom refused to give any details of the plans Mr Sharon had in mind.
"I believe that the prime minister will announce his new plan next week and we will leave him to do it," he said.
He said that the date for the talks between the two leaders depended on the "willingness of the Palestinians".
"Although there are many initiatives around, the only game in town is still the roadmap." Colin Powell US Secretary of State
Pressure
Mr Shalom said the US had played a constructive role in negotiations in the past and could play a key role once again.
He told reporters that during their talks Mr Powell said "although there are many initiatives around, the only game in town is still the roadmap which was invented by the Americans".
The BBC's Jon Leyne in Washington says Mr Shalom's comments come as the Israeli Government faces pressure from public opinion in Israel to play a more positive role in the latest peace plan - known as the roadmap.
There are also signs that the Bush administration is anxious to see a revival of Israeli-Palestinian peace talks.
According to a BBC correspondent in Washington, Mr Shalom's remarks are an attempt to pre-empt that pressure so that the Israeli Government is not seen as the party blocking moves to peace.