In his first move to advance the road map plan, President Bush will meet with the leaders of Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Bahrin, and the Palestinian prime minster, Mahomoud Abbas (Abumazin) in Sharm Alsheik. Prior to his arrival President Bush confirmed his determination to ‘do all that he can to push the peace process in the middle east forward.’
Nabil Shaath, The Palestinian Minster for foreign affairs asserted that : ‘we want the Arab leaders to convey to President Bush their full and unshakable support for Palestinians, demand an honest implementation of the road plan, and their firm stand to work to end the Israeli occupation and to the establishment of a viable and independent Palestinian state’
According to Arabic resources, Arab leaders are expected to demand from President Bush to work to end the siege, and sanctions imposed on the Palestinian President Yasser Arafat, to endorse statement that requests a fair solution to the Palestinian refugee problem on the spirit of UN resolution 194, to work to pull the American troops from Iraq and start the rebuilding process as soon as possible, and to work to make the Middle East an area clean of nuclear weapons.
President Bush expects from the Arab leaders to support his peace efforts, to speak strongly denouncing terror and violence. President Bush is expected to repeat his call for all respective partners to their responsibilities for peace. He is expected to assure the Arab leaders that the United States will put as much time as necessary to achieve the vision of two states living side by side. President Bush is expected to demand from Arab leaders to support the Palestinian Prime Minster, Mahmoud Abbas and his efforts to rebuild his security forces.
President Bush will leave Shram alsheik for Aqba in Jordan to attend the aqaba summit with Sharon, abumazen and King Abdullah.
Acoording to diplomatic sources in Jerusalem, Abumazen to declare and end to armed Intifada and call on Palestinians to turn to peaceful means of resistance. His statement is expected to be: ‘we will invest all our efforts, while using all the means in our disposal, to alter the Intifada military nature, and we will succeed’ Israeli sources commented that: this statement stands short of the Israeli demand for Abu Mazen ‘to commit himself to rooting out terror’.
The Israeli delegation for Aqaba will include in addition to Prime Minster Sharon defense minster Mofaz, Labour Minster Olmert, Foreign mister Shalom, and Justice minster Lapid. The Finance minster of Israel, a long standing opponent to Sharon will not join the team.
The Palestinian delegation includes ( Find Names).
A senior Administration officer said ‘President Bush will use his meetings in the Middle East to seek commitments from ME leaders on how to carry out the road map’ when asked about possible sanctions for countries who fail to comply, he said ‘The United states will be in the position to assess where progress is being made and where it is not, and assess where the roadblocks to progress are and where they are not’
Secretary of State Colin Powel, in Italy said Sharon’s use of word ‘occupation’ was positive although it could be interpreted in two ways. He said he is not sure if Sharon meant the military presence in certain Palestinian cities or territories’ he added ‘which ever interpretation you put to it, the occupation of cities or territories is a situation that is unsustainable over time’
Abu Mazen, during his talks in Jordan asserted ‘The Palestinian authority is committed to implementits part, and called on Israel to do the same.
There are still few unsettled issues prior to alaqaba summit. While Palestinians demand the removal of all illegal settlers outpost, according to Rubi Revlin, Sharon is only welling to rmove 17 settlers outpost out of 120. Israeli sources reported that Sharon is only welling to remove the ‘provocative’ outpots.
While Palestinians are demanding a collective release of Palestinian prisoners, Israel already released Taisir Khaled, member in the DFLP political council and is expected to release the oldst Palestinian prisoner (Abu Alsukar) today (Monday June 3d) and 100 Palestinian administrative detiness. An Israeli sources said that those are prisoners who would have been released anyway.
The Issue of including in Sharon,s statement a recognition of a Palestinian state is apparently unresolved yet. According to Palestinian sources, Abumazen rejected an Israeli demand to recognize Israel as a Jewish state, which was, according to same resources the Israeli condition to recognize the Palestinian right for a state. Israeli sources reported that it might be possible for Sharon to declare his support to ‘president’s Bush vision of a state at the end of the process.
