Mitchell Cites '02 Arab Plan For Peace

[bemildred]

JERUSALEM, April 17 -- White House envoy George J. Mitchell ended two days of talks here with little visible progress between Israelis and Palestinians, but with apparent assent from both sides to pursue peace between Israel and its Arab neighbors.

In brief remarks after meeting with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, the former senator from Maine said the United States wants to build on a 2002 Arab initiative seeking "a comprehensive peace" between Israel and all Arab nations, including a Palestinian state. The Obama administration already has made overtures to Syria -- along with Lebanon the most antagonistic of Israel's neighbors -- and Mitchell has been touring other Arab states. Jordan's King Abdullah II is due in the United States next week.

One topic in this week's talks was Iranian influence in the region. Some Arab states share U.S. concerns about Iran -- as does the new Israeli government of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu -- and the Israelis told Mitchell that the sense of common threat may be strong enough to produce steps toward peace.

"For this to work, we have to have the major Arab states on board and involved. They understand the threat posed by Iran" with its development of nuclear technology and its support of militant Islamic groups such as Hamas and Hezbollah, said a senior Netanyahu aide familiar with the talks. "It is in no one's interest to see Hamas take over the West Bank."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/17/AR2009041703468.html

[Douglas Carpenter]

1. here is the exact translation of the 2002 peace plan unanimously adopted by the Arab League and

and endorsed by the PLO:

Official translation of the full text of a Saudi-inspired peace plan adopted by the Arab summit in Beirut, 2002.


The Arab Peace Initiative

http://www.al-bab.com/arab/docs/league/peace02.htm

The Council of Arab States at the Summit Level at its 14th Ordinary Session,

Reaffirming the resolution taken in June 1996 at the Cairo Extra-Ordinary Arab Summit that a just and comprehensive peace in the Middle East is the strategic option of the Arab countries, to be achieved in accordance with international legality, and which would require a comparable commitment on the part of the Israeli government,

Having listened to the statement made by his royal highness Prince Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz, crown prince of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, in which his highness presented his initiative calling for full Israeli withdrawal from all the Arab territories occupied since June 1967, in implementation of Security Council Resolutions 242 and 338, reaffirmed by the Madrid Conference of 1991 and the land-for-peace principle, and Israel's acceptance of an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital, in return for the establishment of normal relations in the context of a comprehensive peace with Israel,

Emanating from the conviction of the Arab countries that a military solution to the conflict will not achieve peace or provide security for the parties, the council:

1. Requests Israel to reconsider its policies and declare that a just peace is its strategic option as well.

2. Further calls upon Israel to affirm:

I- Full Israeli withdrawal from all the territories occupied since 1967, including the Syrian Golan Heights, to the June 4, 1967 lines as well as the remaining occupied Lebanese territories in the south of Lebanon.

II- Achievement of a just solution to the Palestinian refugee problem to be agreed upon in accordance with U.N. General Assembly Resolution 194.

III- The acceptance of the establishment of a sovereign independent Palestinian state on the Palestinian territories occupied since June 4, 1967 in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, with East Jerusalem as its capital.

3. Consequently, the Arab countries affirm the following:

I- Consider the Arab-Israeli conflict ended, and enter into a peace agreement with Israel, and provide security for all the states of the region.

II- Establish normal relations with Israel in the context of this comprehensive peace.

4. Assures the rejection of all forms of Palestinian patriation which conflict with the special circumstances of the Arab host countries.

5. Calls upon the government of Israel and all Israelis to accept this initiative in order to safeguard the prospects for peace and stop the further shedding of blood, enabling the Arab countries and Israel to live in peace and good neighbourliness and provide future generations with security, stability and prosperity.

6. Invites the international community and all countries and organisations to support this initiative.

7. Requests the chairman of the summit to form a special committee composed of some of its concerned member states and the secretary general of the League of Arab States to pursue the necessary contacts to gain support for this initiative at all levels, particularly from the United Nations, the Security Council, the United States of America, the Russian Federation, the Muslim states and the European Union.