Netanyahu agrees for peace talks
BRITAIN: Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with
US Middle East envoy George Mitchell over the Jewish settlement during
their meeting in London on Wednesday.
After four hours of talks at the Park Lane Hotel in central London,
Netanyahu and Mitchell agreed on the need to launch a negotiation
between Israel and Palestine in order to move towards a regional peace
agreement.
The two leaders agreed that all sides must take practical steps to
advance peace. Netanyahu said the London meeting is "a chance to
continue our fruitful discussion for peace." "We made some headway in
the past months and my government has taken several steps, both in words
and deed," he said, adding that he hoped the peace process move forward.
Mitchell stressed the U.S. commitment to Israel's security is firm
and unshakable, saying that "we appreciate the opportunity to discuss
with you ways by which we can move toward our common objective, which is
a comprehensive peace in the Middle East."
"According to Obama's vision and your vision, we are looking forward
to achieve that hopefully in the future," he said.
Palestinian officials said President Mahmoud Abbas is open to a
meeting with Netanyahu at the United Nations next month.
The meeting would be the first between the two leaders since
Netanyahu took office in March.
Speaking ahead of the bilateral meeting, Natanyahu said Israel was
making progress towards reopening talks with Palestine and hoped to be
able to do so shortly.
He added that "we are making headway. My government has taken steps
both in words and deeds to move forward." However, Palestinian Prime
Minister Salam Fayyad said in Ramallah on Tuesday that a de facto state
will be created in two years "without waiting for the results of the
peace negotiations with Israel."
The statehood would exist on the territories that Israel captured in
the 1967 war, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
On Tuesday, Netanyahu and his British counterpart Gordon Brown
discussed Jewish settlement and Iran's nuclear program at the Downing
street. London, Thursday, Xinhua |
