LOC01:00
22:00 GMT
settlements
WASHINGTON, June 17 (KUNA) -- Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman,
on his first official visit to Washington on Wednesday, said Israel will not
accept an "complete freezing of settlement" as part of direct talks with the
Palestinians.
Following a meeting with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Lieberman told
reporters that Israel has no "intention to change the demographics balance" in
the West Bank cities of Judea and Samaria, and "so we cannot accept this
vision about absolutely, completely, freezing of settlements." "I think we
must keep natural growth," Lieberman added.
Israel had some "understanding with the previous George W. Bush
administration and we tried to keep this direction. Israel is ready for
immediate direct talks with the Palestinians," Lieberman, leader of the
ultranationalist Yisrael Beitenu party, said.
Clinton,standing next to Lieberman, expressed differences on whether
communication between Israel and then-Bush administration committed the Obama
administration to allow some settlements activities to continue.
"In looking at the history of the Bush administration, there were no
informal or oral enforceable agreements," she said, repeating earlier
statements on the matter.
Clinton reiterated President Barack Obamas call a put a stop to all
settlement activity on occupied land, stressing it as "an essential part of
pursuing the efforts leading to a comprehensive peace agreement and the
creation of a Palestinian state next to an Israeli Jewish state that is secure
in its borders and future."
The US announced today Obama administration Mideast envoy Senator George
Mitchell will travel to Paris, France on June 25th to meet with Israeli Prime
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to work on an agreement on the settlements and
address other concerns on the Israeli-Palestinian peace process.
"There are a number of critical concerns, many of which overlap in their
impact and significance, that will be explored in the coming weeks as Senator
Mitchell engages more deeply into the specifics as to where the Israelis and
the Palestinians are willing to go together," Clinton said.
Clinton added that past negotiations have shown that Israels stance is
lively to evolve into something that can lead to the creation of a Palestinian
state, as Israeli leaders "have moved to positions they never would have
thought they could have advocated." (end)
hy.ajs
KUNA 180100 Jun 09NNNN