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Arafat
meets Moratinos in the West Bank to discuss the publication of the
roadmap
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ATHENS,
April 17 (IslamOnline.net & News Agencies) - The European Union
reiterated Thursday, April 17, its unwavering backing for the Middle
East roadmap peace plan that envisages a Palestinian state by 2005
alongside a secure Israel.
After
talks in Athens, E.U. leaders said the bloc "reaffirms its
commitment to bring the Israeli-Palestinian peace process to a
successful conclusion through the implementation of the steps foreseen
in the quartet's roadmap, keeping within the established time
lines".
In
a statement, the leaders stressed it was "essential that there is
an early endorsement by Chairman (Yasser) Arafat and the Palestinian
legislative council" of the new cabinet led by incoming prime
minister Mahmud Abbas, which should be "committed to reform."
The
roadmap, drafted by the so-called diplomatic "quartet" of the
United States, Russia, United Nations and the European Union, proposes a
resumption of negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians aimed at
establishing a Palestinian state by 2005.
U.S.
Secretary of State Colin Powell stressed
Tuesday,
April 15, that the long-awaited roadmap would be published soon without
any changes despite concerns already expressed by Israel.
Two
weeks ago, U.S. President George W. Bush and British Prime Minister Tony
Blair said the document would be published after the Palestinian
Legislative Council approves a full cabinet under the recently-appointed
Abbas, aks Abu Mazen.
With
Washington’s insistence to publish the roadmap unchanged, senior
Israeli officials expressed readiness Wednesday, April 16, to
accommodate their demands for change to the roadmap plan.
In
a bid to avoid confrontation with the U.S. ally, Israeli officials hoped
its main ally would take into account Israeli reservations on the plan.
"Of
course we would have preferred for the text to be changed before its
publication. But the main thing is its implementation," said Zalman
Shoval, foreign affairs advisor to Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.
Since
his appointment
on March 19, Abbas has been working to set up a new government.
He
was originally given until April 10 to announce his new government
line-up, but the deadline was extended until April 24.
In
a related development, the European Middle East envoy Miguel Moratinos
urged the Palestinians Thursday to approve the new cabinet as soon as
possible to speed up the publication of the roadmap peace plan.
Emerging
from a meeting with Arafat at his Ramallah headquarters, Moratinos
reaffirmed the E.U.'s "full support" for the peace process.
He
was hopeful "the Palestinians will finish the reforms and approve a
new cabinet as soon as possible in order to publish the roadmap without
any changes."
