"No agreement" in Mid-East talks

U.S. envoy George Mitchell's latest round of shuttle diplomacy in the Middle East has ended without agreement, U.S. and Palestinian officials say.

Izvor: BBC

Saturday, 19.09.2009.

12:35

Default images

U.S. envoy George Mitchell's latest round of shuttle diplomacy in the Middle East has ended without agreement, U.S. and Palestinian officials say. Mitchell met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem in a fresh attempt at getting a deal on Jewish settlement activity. "No agreement" in Mid-East talks He also went to the West Bank to speak with Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas. Mitchell was hoping for a consensus before all sides attend the UN General Assembly in New York next week. Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said: "There is no agreement yet with the Israeli side and no middle ground solution." An Israeli official was reported to have suggested that there may be a hiatus is settlement building in the West Bank, not including East Jerusalem, a little longer than previously offered. "Israel will agree to extend the freeze beyond six months - possibly nine months, but less than a year," the official said according to the Reuters news agency. Mitchell had prolonged his trip in the Middle East for several days as he pushed for a deal on freezing Israeli settlement activity in the occupied West Bank. He ended the talks on Friday without making an announcement. State department spokesman Ian Kelly later confirmed Mitchell had returned to the U.S. "Of course we were hoping for some kind of breakthrough," Kelly said. The U.S. is seeking a moratorium on settlement building that would be acceptable to the Palestinian side. Abbas and the US administration have been demanding a complete freeze on Israeli construction activity. Netanyahu had previously offered a temporary freeze for several months, but not in East Jerusalem or in cases where homes have already been approved. "There is a slowdown in settlement construction, but not a freeze," he said. "There are 2,400 units being built, and their construction will continue."

"No agreement" in Mid-East talks

He also went to the West Bank to speak with Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas.

Mitchell was hoping for a consensus before all sides attend the UN General Assembly in New York next week.

Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said: "There is no agreement yet with the Israeli side and no middle ground solution."

An Israeli official was reported to have suggested that there may be a hiatus is settlement building in the West Bank, not including East Jerusalem, a little longer than previously offered.

"Israel will agree to extend the freeze beyond six months - possibly nine months, but less than a year," the official said according to the Reuters news agency.

Mitchell had prolonged his trip in the Middle East for several days as he pushed for a deal on freezing Israeli settlement activity in the occupied West Bank.

He ended the talks on Friday without making an announcement.

State department spokesman Ian Kelly later confirmed Mitchell had returned to the U.S.

"Of course we were hoping for some kind of breakthrough," Kelly said.

The U.S. is seeking a moratorium on settlement building that would be acceptable to the Palestinian side.

Abbas and the US administration have been demanding a complete freeze on Israeli construction activity.

Netanyahu had previously offered a temporary freeze for several months, but not in East Jerusalem or in cases where homes have already been approved.

"There is a slowdown in settlement construction, but not a freeze," he said. "There are 2,400 units being built, and their construction will continue."

Komentari 0

0 Komentari

Možda vas zanima

Kina i Francuska se dogovorile: "Dozvolićemo" 1
Svet

Kina i Francuska se dogovorile: "Dozvolićemo"

Kina će dozvoliti uvoz proteinske hrane svinjskog porekla iz Francuske, kao i uvoz svinjskih iznutrica iz te evropske zemlje, navodi se u današnjim odvojenim saopštenjima kineske carine i francuskog ministarstva poljoprivrede.

19:05

7.5.2024.

1 d

Podeli: