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Powell wont see arafat Original Source Link: (May no longer be active)    http://www.upi.com/view.cfm?StoryID=20030508-115556-1627r http://www.upi.com/view.cfm?StoryID=20030508-115556-1627r Powell will see Abu Mazen but not Arafat By Saud Abu Ramadan From the International Desk Published 5/8/2003 12:18 PM View printer-friendly version GAZA, May 8 (UPI) -- U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell has no plans to meet Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat when he visits Israel and the Palestinian territories but will deal with Prime Minister Abu Mazen, official Palestinian sources said Thursday. Powell arrives Saturday to launch a round of negotiations based on the long-awaited Middle East road map for peace, an initiative of the Quartet, which consists of the United States, Russia, the United Nations and the European Union. Last year, the Bush administration, taking its cue from Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, refused to negotiate with Arafat. Sharon accused the Palestinian leader of not being genuinely interested in peace talks and not making sufficient effort to stop Palestinian militant violence against Israeli civilians. President Bush vowed that peace negotiations with the Palestinians would be resumed only after they had chosen a leader to replace Arafat. In April, the Palestinian Parliament gave its approval for the nomination of Abu Mazen, who was acceptable to both the Israelis and Washington though he had been a long-time close associate of Arafat. Sources close to Abu Mazen said Powell will be accompanied by a delegation that will work on supervising and monitoring the implementation of the road map by the Israelis and the Palestinians. European specialists will also be on hand. The road map calls for the establishment of a Palestinian state by 2005, and reciprocally the recognition of Israel by Arab governments. But the first step in the process is for the Palestinians to end the violence by militant groups such as Hamas and for Israel to stop building Jewish settlements in the West Bank and Gaza. Sharon has already raised objections to some aspects of the peace plan, including granting Palestinians who left the country during Israel's creation in 1948 the right of return to their homeland. The long-standing Israeli objection to this is that a large influx of Palestinians would reduce the Jewish population to a minority in Israel. Another looming problem is tension between Arafat and Abu Mazen arising out of Arafat's exclusion from the peace negotiations. Many believe this internal strain foreshadows a clash of wills. In addition, Palestinian militant groups have refused to renounce suicide bombings and attacks against Israelis, and it has yet to be seen how much pressure Abu Mazen can exert on such organizations. The road map was put on the back burner while the Bush administration dealt with the situation in Iraq. Now, Washington is under pressure from its allies -- notably Britain and Spain -- to tackle what is widely regarded as the main stumbling block to better relations between the Arab world and Western countries -- the Israel-Palestinian conflict. Meanwhile the 2 1/2-year-old intifada continued to rage Thursday. Palestinian medical sources said Israeli soldiers killed five Palestinians within a 24-hour period. Copyright © 2001-2003 United Press International Copyright © 2001-2003, by United Press International. All rights reserved. This material may not be republished, rebroadcast, rewritten, redistributed, resold or manipulated in any form.

Abbas fires top security chiefs Abbas orders palestinian security forces consolidated { April 15 2005 } New palestinian government control militants { April 30 2003 } Palestinians meet cabinet crisis { April 22 2003 } Powell wont see arafat Supports new leaders { June 24 2002 } Us presses eu reduce arafat ties { April 26 2003 } Files Listed: 7

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