Bush Wins Applause over Palestinian Issue amid Iraq Deadlock

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Saturday, March 15, 2003

Bush Wins Applause over Palestinian Issue amid Iraq Deadlock

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As a military showdown on Iraq looms large, US President George W. Bush on Friday diverted the world's attention from Baghdad to the Palestinian issue, vowing to unveil a roadmap once an empowered Palestinian prime minister takes office.

Applause reached Washington from both Israel and the Palestinians, while Germany and Russia hailed Bush's idea, in contrast to their acid criticism about the US handling of the Iraq issue.

In an address at the White House on Friday, Bush said the "roadmap" for Mideast peace will be published as soon as the new Palestinian prime minister with real authority is confirmed.

"We expect that such a Palestinian prime minister will be confirmed soon," he said.

"Once this roadmap is delivered, we will expect and welcome contributions from Israel and the Palestinians to this document that will advance true peace," he said.

Echoing Bush's dovish gesture, the Israeli government said on Friday it sees "eye to eye" with Bush's statement which conditioned the release of the roadmap on the confirmation of a "real" Palestinian prime minister.

"Israel will be willing to begin discussing a solution" with a new Palestinian prime minister who has real authority to stop "terror," Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Yoni Peled said.

Israel and the United States have sought the naming of a Palestinian premier in an attempt to limit authority wielded by Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.

The Palestinian side termed Bush's speech as "positive and constructive."

Palestinian Legislative Council (parliament) Speaker Ahmed Qureisaid the statements "would be constructive if it can stop the Israeli aggression, assassinations, demolition, arrests and settlement activities."

"We hope the statements by President Bush will bring back mutual trust that has been badly damaged during more than two years of conflicts between the Palestinians and Israel," Qurei said.

Palestinian Cabinet Minister Saeb Erekat expressed cautious optimism over the Bush speech on Friday.

He told Xinhua the Palestinian National Authority hopes Bush wasserious about his speech, and "the United States will not attach amendments to the prolonged roadmap" which was drawn up by the Mideast Quartet last December but remains withheld at Israel's request.

Israel has since suggested over 100 changes in the roadmap, the Palestinian minister said, adding this could not be accepted by thePalestinians.

The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) Executive Committee,whose Secretary General, Abu Mazen, was nominated to the new post last week, also hailed Bush's remarks.

The PLO said in a statement that ending the Israeli occupation and implementing international resolutions "is the right way to implement the vision" of an independent Palestinian state living side by side with Israel.

On Friday, Bush also phoned Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah Bin Abdel Aziz and Jordanian King Abdullah II separately to brief them on his idea.

The US president got positive response from the three Arab leaders during the phone talks.

Jordanian Foreign Minister Marwan Moasher said on Friday his country welcomed the speech, stressing "a peaceful solution between Israel and Palestine should be implemented on the premises of not being modified."

The peace plan should be carried out earnestly so as to guarantee an Israeli withdrawal and the establishment of a Palestinian state within three years, he said.

The Bush speech was also welcomed by Germany and Russia, which firmly oppose a second draft resolution authorizing the use of force against Iraq. The United States, Britain and Spain sponsored the draft.

"I think it's a good idea, and I can only support it, as we havealways done," German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder said, commenting on Bush's speech.

"It is identical to Germany's and Europe's positions. I therefore have no difficulty whatsoever in praising it," the Germanleader said.

Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov highlighted the Bush statements as a step toward an end to the deadlocked Mideast peace process.

He said Russia firmly backed the appointment of a Palestinian prime minister and hoped this decision would enable the Israeli government to resume cooperation with the Palestinian National Authority for security and revival of the political process.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair, Bush's strongest ally, said: "We are right to focus on (Iraqi leader) Saddam Hussein and his weapons of mass destruction," "but we must put equal focus on the people whose lives are being devastated by the lack of progress in the Middle East peace process."

The roadmap, worked out by the Quartet grouping the United States, the United Nations, the European Union and Russia, lays out a series of steps to be taken in order to create a Palestinian state by 2005.

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