Rice: Sides making progress
Photo: Reuters
Blair. Not foolishly-optimistic
Photo: Uriah Tidmor
Rice sees potential for '08 peace deal
Mideast Quartet discusses Israeli-Palestinian negotiations, parties emerge optimistic about progress being made between Livni, Qureia; but also express "deep concern" over continuing settlement expansion in West Bank
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said on Friday Middle East peace negotiations were making progress despite the tense political situation in Israel, and that a deal was still possible this year.
A ministerial session of quartet members – the United States, Russia, the European Union and the United Nations – ended with a call on the parties "to make every effort to conclude an agreement before the end of 2008."
She also commended the efforts of Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, charged with trying to form a new government as the newly elected chairwoman of the Kadima Party.
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In a statement Quartet members "expressed deep concern about increasing (Israeli) settlement activity, which has a damaging impact on the negotiating environment and is an impediment to economic recovery and called on Israel to freeze all settlement activity."
They also reiterated that the parties "must avoid actions that undermine confidence and could prejudice the outcome of the negotiations."
On a more optimistic note, Rice she thought it was possible an accord could be reached this year. "It was never going to be easy and obviously the political situation right now is quite complex, particularly in Israel," she said.
"But I would note that as complex as it is, on the day after she was asked to form a government, Tzipi Livni sat with Abu Alaa (chief Palestinian negotiator Ahmed Qureia) to continue their negotiations. I think you'll find that the pace of negotiation is continuing and the parties are making some progress, but these are hard issues."
Rice added that "had this been easy, it would have been solved 30 years ago. But they are indeed working very hard. And I think it is a process that deserves the support of all of the parties and the encouragement of all the parties, and I would ask all parties including those in the region to be encouraging of the parties."
'Moving back up'
Quriea won an assurance from Livni on Tuesday that peace talks would not stall while she tries to form a new coalition. But both Israeli and Palestinian officials have expressed doubt whether the year-end target for a deal is realistic, including President Shimon Peres.
However Rice insisted that "this has come a long way in a relatively short period of time and they do have a robust process, the most robust process perhaps that they've ever had."
Rice's optimism was shared by Quartet envoy Blair, former British Prime Minister. "The last thing anyone should ever be in this situation is foolishly-optimistic. We know what all the challenges are. And as I say, it's possible to be totally negative," he said.
"But that's not my perspective. My perspective is that this was going down and down and down for seven years. It has stopped going down. It is moving back up. It has to move far faster back up. But there is for the first time an agreed strategy around politics, the security situation, and how we lift the pressure of occupation."
