Clinton. Upgrading strategic dialogue
Photo: AFP
Clinton to visit Israel on backdrop of Iran talks
US secretary of state accepts deputy foreign minister's invitation to arrive in Jerusalem in late October or early November for American-Israeli strategic dialogue
WASHINGTON – US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will visit Israel
at the end of October or beginning of November, Ynet has learned.
Deputy Foreign Minister Daniel Ayalon, who is visiting Washington, extended an invitation to Clinton from her Israeli counterpart, Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman.
The purpose of the visit is an American-Israeli strategic dialogue, on the backdrop of expected talks between Iran and the five permanent Security Council members and Germany over the Islamic republic's nuclear program.
Poll
Yitzhak Benhorin
Survey finds 59% of US citizens willing to grant Israel military aid if it is attacked from abroad
Ayalon met at the State Department with Clinton's two senior deputies, Deputy Secretary of State James Steinberg and Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs William Burns – the designated American representative for the talks with the Iranians. He also held a meeting at the National Security Council with President Barack Obama's senior advisor on the Middle East, Dennis Ross.
The decision on Clinton's visit was made as part of the upgrading of the strategic dialogue between the countries to the rank of foreign ministers. This will be the secretary of state's second visit to Israel since taking office.
The timing of the visit was set for a period when Israel and the US will try and determine whether the talks with Iran can be defined as "foot-dragging" and whether Tehran has no plans to abandon its nuclear ambitions.
'Iran an existential threat'
During his meetings with the Americans, the Israeli deputy foreign minister clarified that "Iran is an existential threat, and therefore the talks must be limited in time. He asked the Americans to start preparing immediately for an alternative plan which would include serious sanctions, assuming that the Iranians are only trying to play for time before completing a bomb.
Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz is currently in Washington for talks with Dennis Ross on the Iranian issue. He also met with US Treasury Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Stewart Levy, who is in charge of the economic war against Iran and global terror.
Steinitz told Israeli reporters following his meetings that "there is a very good dialogue with the American administration. There is a lot of openness and cooperation on the Iranian issue."
In addition to the security and diplomatic meetings, Steinitz and Ayalon also took part in a reception in honor of the Jewish New Year at the home of Israeli Ambassador to Washington Michael Oren, which was attended by representatives of the administration, senators and members of the US House of Representatives.
Talks to begin next month
Last week, Iran presented a list of proposals to the world's major powers, expressing its hope that this move would advance direct talks. Tehran clarified, however, that it is not interested in discussing its nuclear program.Nonetheless, it appears the Americans have decided to ignore Tehran's declaration, and the State Department in Washington announced Sunday that it had decided to accept the negotiations proposal. White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said that Iran must withdraw from its illicit nuclear weapons program.
The date set for the start of the talks was October 1. The European Union confirmed that an agreement on this date had been reached. However, the location of the talks between Iran and the six major powers – the United States, China, Russia, Britain, France and Germany – has yet to be determined.
