[NYTr] Annapolis: Syria to Attend, with Conditions, Isr-Palestine: No Joint Agenda

[All the News That Doesn't Fit]

Prensa Latina, Havana
http://www.plenglish.com


Syria to Annapolis, But on Condition

Cairo, Nov 23 (Prensa Latina) Syria reiterated on Friday that it would
participate in Tuesday's Middle East Peace Conference in Annapolis,
Maryland if the Golan Heights is on the agenda.

Foreign Affairs Minister Walid al Mualem said in Cairo that his
participation makes no sense if that matter is not on the agenda of a
meeting at which over fifty nations are expected to attend.

Syrian sources informed that, at the request of the Arab League, a
joint message was sent to the US government to include that
controversial issue on the program.

Syria's foreign minister, in the second day of a foreign ministerial
meeting of the Arab Peace Committee (Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan,
Lebanon, Morocco, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia
and Yemen) urged the Arab nations to maintain a common position and
avoid differences.

A poll released today showed 82 percent of Israeli citizens doubt an
agreement could be achieved by 2008 as the White House hopes.

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Palestine, Israel with No Joint Agenda

Cairo, Nov 23 (Prensa Latina) Israeli and Palestinian negotiators have
failed again in their attempt to set up a joint agenda to present at
the international conference on the Middle East to session next week in
Annapolis, Maryland.

Palestine National Authority President Mahmoud Abbas confirmed this
situation on Friday at the Arab League Ministers of Foreign Affairs
meeting, debating criteria for the US event.

According to Abbas, a joint document was attempted, but "we did not
manage to agree on its formulation, since each has its own point of
view".

The lack of coincident criteria on solving the main problems of the
bilateral conflict impedes agreements in the conversations that began
weeks ago.

Even the presentation of the text caused discrepancies, media sources
report, for the Palestinians it would be a "joint document", for the
Israelis, a "joint declaration".

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Hamas Urges No Concessions to Israel

Ramallah, Nov 23 (Prensa Latina) The Islamic Resistance -Hamas-
exhorted the Arab States on Friday not to normalize relations with
Israel and avoid making concessions in that respect.

Hamas made the request shortly after the Arab League Foreign Ministers
reported they would attend the international conference on the Middle
East next week in Annapolis, Maryland.

A Hamas spokesman in the Gaza Strip said "their attendance at the
meeting would allow normalization with Israel gratis, and it would then
increase its aggression."

He called on the Arabs to facilitate lifting the siege of the Strip,
"and work in the interest of the Palestinian cause."

The Islamic Resistance, which formed the government after winning
legislative majority in the Palestine Authority's last elections, were
then subject to a boycott by Israel and the West.

The crisis continued with the failure to establish a coalition
executive and armed clashes between Hamas and nationalist Al Fatah, of
PNA President Mahmoud Abbas.

Hamas, which has had political and military control of the Gaza Strip
since June, does not recognize the legality of the State of Israel, and
said there is no element of trust in its negotiations with the Arabs.

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Abbas for Arab Unity at US Event

Cairo, Nov 23 (Prensa Latina) Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas
Friday defended the importance of a unified Arab position on
Palestinian negotiators for the Middle East peace conference to be held
in the US city of Annapolis.

At the second day of sessions of a meeting taking place in this capital
with the participation of Foreign ministers of the Arab League, Abbas
presented a comprehensive report on recent talks with Israel.

The Palestinian leader explained the political negotiation process
followed with Israeli authorities to draw up a document of agreement
for the conference in the US on Tuesday and establish a plan that truly
leads to peace.

One of the proposals of the Arab League to Tel Aviv is to abandon all
the territories occupied during the 1967 war in return for being
recognized as a state by all the countries of the region.

It also includes the creation of an independent Palestinian state with
Jerusalem as capital, and the return of over four million refugees.

The secretary general of the Arab League, Amaro Mussa, said that the
conference is a good opportunity for the Arab nations to express their
points of views to solve the Middle East Conflict and their willingness
to establish normal relations with Israel.

The conference in the US city of Annapolis will be attended by
representatives of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Sudan, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan,
Palestine, Yemen, Bahrein, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco and Qatar, apart
from Oman, United Arab Emirates, and Mauritania.

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