Jordanian king urges Bush to activate Palestinian-Israeli negotiations

Carter's regional tour unveils contradictions in truce, negotiations, peace

Olmert goes under political fire for reported Golan pullout

Lebanese justice minister warns of attacks on international tribunal judges

US asks Americans in Lebanon observe vigilance; UNIFEL concerned of possible attacks

U.S. President George W. Bush held talks at the White House with King Abdullah II of Jordan, as part of a diplomatic flurry to shore up the fragile Israeli-Palestinian peace process.

Facing deep skepticism over his chances of securing a peace deal before he leaves office in January, Bush met Abdullah, an important player in regional diplomacy, on the eve of a meeting with the Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, in Washington.

Abdullah stressed the need for U.S. support for Israeli-Palestinian negotiations, telling Bush that the talks "should be based on clear grounds and fixed time frames," the Jordanian Embassy in Washington said in a statement

. Negotiations between Abbas and the Israeli prime minister, Ehud Olmert, have shown little progress since a U.S.-hosted conference in Annapolis, Maryland, in November, where the leaders pledged to try to reach a peace deal by the end of the year.

Bush failed to achieve any breakthroughs during a visit to the region in January. He will travel to Israel again in mid-May to celebrate the 60th anniversary of Israel and to try to move peace efforts forward.

Bush, who once disdained a hands-on role in a Middle East peace process, seems intent on using the waning months of his presidency to shape a foreign policy legacy that encompasses more than the unpopular war in Iraq.

Many analysts say that if Israelis and Palestinians are to resolve their decades-old differences, it will require direct, sustained presidential engagement. But Bush has made clear he has no intention of adopting what his administration once derided as predecessor Bill Clinton's all-or-nothing approach to peacemaking that failed at the end of his presidency.

Separately, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice met Abbas to lay the groundwork for his talks with Bush. She told Abbas that she would visit Israel and the Palestinian territories on May 3-4, according to a chief Palestinian negotiator, Saeb Erekat.

Bush hopes to bolster Abbas, who controls the West bank but lost control of the Gaza Strip to Hamas in June.

Abbas wants U.S. pressure on Israel for a framework agreement that would outline the way sensitive final-status issues can be resolved to establish a Palestinian state.

Abbas's aides say there is concern not only that a failure of peace efforts by Bush would weaken the Palestinian leader and strengthen his Islamist rivals, but that any momentum toward a deal would be lost at the start of a new U.S. administration.

For his part, Olmert, also politically weak at home, has made clear he prefers a vaguer list of "understandings

." Negotiations have been bogged down over Israeli settlement building in the occupied West Bank and violence in and around Gaza, where Hamas cross-border rocket fire has drawn an Israeli military response.

The Jordanian Embassy said Abdullah had told Bush that Israel should refrain from "measures that would jeopardize negotiations with the Palestinians," and called for an end to Israeli settlement activities, a lifting of the blockade of Gaza and of restrictions on the movement of Palestinians.

In Moscow, Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Palestinian counterpart Mahmoud Abbas met at his Novo-Ogaryovo residence, and the focus of their discussions indicated that Moscow will play a greater role in the Middle East peace process.

The two leaders exchanged opinions of the development of the bilateral relations, the regional situation and the most important problem -- the Palestinian-Israeli settlement.

Moscow welcomes and supports Palestinian and Israeli settlement efforts, Putin said.

Describing the visit of Abbas to Russia at a tense moment, Putin said "the situation is difficult, but we can see that Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and you are working on positive trends." "We welcome that and will give you comprehensive support," he added.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, who welcomed the wish of Abbas to carry on the Palestinian-Israeli negotiations and achieve mutually acceptable peace agreements, held talks with the Palestinian president earlier in the day.

"The Russian side voiced firm support to the negotiations between the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) and Israel, which are aimed at the establishment of an independent and viable Palestinian state that would co-exist with Israel peacefully and securely," the Russian Foreign Ministry commented on Lavrov's meeting with Abbas.

Meanwhile, it is important for Palestine to restore unity on the basis acceptable to the international community, and all Palestinians should adhere to the Mecca accords and the Arab peace initiative, said the ministry.

One of the top concerns that Abbas discussed with Putin was the plan for the Middle East peace conference in Moscow.

With a hope for the success of the conference, Abbas said that the prospective forum might contribute to the success of the Middle East settlement process. The event, which is necessary for the boost of the negotiations started in Annapolis, is also supported energetically by Russia.

Putin first had the idea of holding a Moscow Middle East conference in 2005, and received the backing of several Arab countries last year. It was agreed after similar conferences in Annapolis and Paris that the next conference would take place in Moscow, Abbas said.

Both sides expressed their concerns over the remaining tensions in Gaza, and stressed the need for the fulfillment of the roadmap, the end of the Israeli settlement activities as well as disproportionate use of force by Israel that causes sufferings and deaths of civilians.

The two sides agreed that the forum should include debates on the resumption of efforts on the Syrian and Lebanese tracks for the sake of the all-inclusive regional settlement.

In Tunis, Visiting Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas promised a referendum before any peace agreement with Israel.

Abbas made the promise in a press conference during his visit to Tunisia from where he traveled to Washington.

Any peace agreement to be reached between the Palestinian and Israeli negotiating teams will be referred to the people in a referendum, Abbas told the reporters.

Abbas, meanwhile, welcomed current efforts exerted by former U.S. president Jimmy Carter and other sides, like Yemen, to end the inter-Palestinian differences.

The Palestinian leader noted that he would hold talks with U.S. President George W. Bush and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on the development of the peace negotiations between the Palestinians and Israel, hoping a deal with Israel can be reached by the end of the year.

"I will focus in my talks with President Bush and American officials on the negotiations and on ending talks with an agreement this year," Abbas said.

However, he stressed that he does not want the outcome of Israeli-Palestinian talks to end with a vague declaration of principles.

Abbas arrived in Tunis earlier for a two-day visit at the invitation of Tunisian President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali.

The two leaders hold talks on bilateral issues and discussed the latest development of the situation in the Middle East, Tunisia's official TAP news agency reported.

On another hand, Jordanian King Abdullah met with former US president Jimmy Carter and voiced his appreciation of the former head of state’s contributions and efforts to realize peace and end the Arab-Israeli conflict.

At the meeting, King Abdullah discussed with Carter developments in the Middle East, particularly efforts to advance the peace process between the Palestinians and Israelis and proceed with negotiations to address final status issues and lead to the creation of an independent Palestinian state.

King Abdullah highlighted at the meeting, which was also attended by Royal Court Chief Bassem Awadallah, the need to realize tangible progress in the negotiations between the Palestinians and Israelis and create an appropriate atmosphere to render a successful agreement.

The King said it was imperative for Israel to halt its siege on the Palestinian people and stop settlement expansions.

His Majesty also emphasized the significance of continued support by the international community to help the Palestinian Authority build institutions and enhance living conditions. The King added that reducing the suffering of Palestinians will have a positive impact on the process and aid Palestinian unity.

Carter briefed King Abdullah on the results of his various meetings across the region, adding that he highly appreciated the King’s efforts to realize peace in the region.

Also minister of Foreign Affairs Salah Bashir met with Carter to discuss regional developments.

After meeting with His Majesty, Carter concluded his visit to the Kingdom, part of a regional tour to discuss means to push the peace process forward.

Syria welcomed the visit by former U.S. President Jimmy Carter who held talks with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, a Foreign Ministry official said.

Bushra Kanafani, Director of the Information Department of the ministry, said in a statement that Syria also appreciated Carter's meeting with exiled Hamas Chief in Damascus Khaled Meshaal, which reflected his attention to pressing problems in the region.

According to the schedule of Carter's visit, Syrian President Bashar Assad hosted a family lunch for Carter, followed by a formal meeting on Syrian-American relations, said Kanafani.

During the meeting, Assad explained Damascus' point of view on the overall situation in the region, particularly in Lebanon, Iraq and the Palestinian territories.

On whether Carter had asked Damascus to mediate with Hamas to release captured Israeli soldier Gilaad Shalit, Kanafani said Carter might have presented the request because of his concern in this regard.

Syrian political circles also welcomed Carter's visit, saying although his talks with Damascus and Hamas were criticized by the U.S. administration, there are still personalities and institutions in America which supported and encouraged his tour here, which also aroused anger and dismay in Israel.

According to the official SANA news agency, Assad and Carter expressed their support to the principle of dialogue to find political solutions to Middle East problems during their talks.

The two sides stressed the importance to achieve a just and comprehensive peace in the region and the need to rally international support to break the siege on the Palestinian people in Gaza to alleviate their suffering.

Assad and Carter also discussed bilateral ties as well as the peace process and the latest development in the region, particularly in the Gaza Strip, Iraq and Lebanon.

Carter, who paid three visits to Syria in 1983, 1987 and 1990, voiced his relief for Syria's constructive role in finding solutions for outstanding issues in the region, SANA reported.

Later, Carter held a meeting with Damascus-based exiled Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal on peace efforts in the region, Moussa Abu Marzouk, deputy chief of the exiled Hamas politburo, confirmed to reporters.

Their talks focused on three basic topics, namely the fate of Israeli captive Gilad Shalit, to appease the situation in Gaza and the lift of the siege there, Abu Marzouk said.

Although the policy of Hamas was not to make any contact with the Israelis, the issue of the Israeli captive Shalit could be discussed through indirect channels as the movement did not reject negotiation with Israel through intermediaries, Abu Marzouk said.

Carter's stop in Damascus and meeting with Hamas officials have drawn criticism from both the U.S. administration and Israel.

The White House urged Carter not to meet Hamas leaders, saying his meeting with Hamas was only "in his own private capacity, as a private citizen," not representing the United States.

In response, Carter reasserted the same day in Israel that Syria and Hamas must be involved in any future peace deal.

"I think it's absolutely crucial that in a final dreamed-about and prayed-for peace agreement for this region that Hamas be involved and that Syria be involved," he said.

Carter, aged 83, also held talks with a Hamas delegation in Cairo after Israel prevented him from entering Gaza to meet Hamas officials.

The White House immediately rebuked the meeting, criticizing that "we do not think that meeting was useful. As we can all see by the recent violence in Gaza, Hamas is a terrorist organization."

Hamas's two top leaders, Mahmoud Zahar and Said Siam, traveled to Cairo for talks with former US president Jimmy Carter and Egyptian officials on the latest developments in the Gaza Strip.

Carter met in Ram Allah with Nasser Eddin Shaer, a prominent Hamas figure who previously served as deputy prime minister in the Hamas government.

Hamas spokesman Ayman Taha said Zahar and Siam briefed Carter during their meeting in Cairo on the "suffering of the Palestinians as a result of the Israeli-imposed siege of the Gaza Strip."

He said the two also reiterated Hamas's readiness to reach a simultaneous and comprehensive truce with Israel.

Zahar and Siam also met with Egyptian intelligence Chief Gen. Omar Suleiman for talks on ways of reaching a temporary truce with Israel and lifting the blockade.

The visit comes amid increased tensions between Hamas and Egypt. Earlier, the Egyptian daily Al-Ahram claimed that Hamas was preparing to breach the border again with Egypt. The paper also said Hamas had ordered its men to open fire at Egyptian border guards - allegations that Hamas has strongly denied.

Sources close to Hamas said the talks would focus on Egypt's efforts to end the case of kidnapped IDF solider Cpl. Gilaad Shalit.

"Hamas wants the release of Shalit to be part of a bigger deal that would end the siege and allow the Palestinians to travel freely," the sources said. "Shalit's release should be linked not only to the release of Palestinian prisoners, but to a temporary truce and the reopening of the Rafah border crossing."

Hamas is demanding the release of some 400 Palestinian prisoners belonging to various factions, including the rival Fatah party. Most of the prisoners who appear on Hamas's list are serving either life terms or lengthy sentences for their role in killing Israeli citizens.

Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh expressed hope that the visit of Zahar and Siam to Cairo would lead to an agreement on lifting the blockade and reopening the Rafah border crossing. He also invited Carter to visit the Gaza Strip.

Haniyeh said Hamas was prepared to resume talks with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah faction to end their differences.

"We are prepared to meet with Fatah under the auspices of the Egyptian government," he added. "We seek dialogue and accord and reject schism. That's why we are interested in ending our dispute."

Carter said in a speech during a press conference held in King David hotel that "Hamas would accept a two-state peace agreement with Israel as long as it was approved by a Palestinian referendum or a newly elected government."

Carter, who spoke in Jerusalem, said Hamas had told him it would support the results of a referendum or election on a final-status peace agreement negotiated by the Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, even if Hamas itself opposed the agreement.

The former president and Nobel peace prize-winner admitted he had failed to convince Hamas to begin a unilateral ceasefire in Gaza, the scene of continued violence.

"If President Abbas succeeds in negotiating a final-status agreement with Israel, Hamas will accept the decision made by the Palestinian people and their will through a referendum ... or by a newly elected Palestinian national council ... even if Hamas is opposed to the agreement," Carter. "Verbatim, this is their language," he said.

Carter insisted he was not acting as a mediator and he noted his visit was not endorsed by either the Israeli or the US government, so there was little sign it would advance the so-far fruitless Middle East peace talks between Abbas and the Israeli prime minister, Ehud Olmert.

He acknowledged that Hamas still refused to recognize explicitly Israel's right to exist, or to renounce violence, or to recognize previous peace agreements. The movement did not agree to speed the release of an Israeli corporal captured two years ago, although it did tell Carter it would let the soldier, Gilad Shalit, write a new letter home to his parents to prove he was still alive.

Carter condemned attacks by Hamas as "despicable" and "acts of terrorism". Yet he sounded encouraged by his talks, which included meetings with Meshaal and the most powerful Hamas leader in Gaza, Mahmoud Zahar.

"They said they would accept a Palestinian state on the 1967 borders if approved by Palestinians and they would accept the right of Israel to live as a neighbor next door in peace provided the agreements negotiated by Prime Minister Olmert and President Abbas were submitted to the Palestinians for their overall approval, even though Hamas might disagree with some terms of the agreement," Carter said.

The Hamas position reflected a key agreement known as the Prisoners' Document, which Hamas signed with its rival Fatah, led by Abbas, two years ago. However, that agreement was overtaken by a near civil war between the two rival groups.

The Hamas leaders also told Carter a "national reconciliation" between Hamas and Fatah was necessary for any peace agreement to work, even though the two sides appear a long way from a rapprochement.

One Hamas spokesman in Gaza, Sami Abu Zuhri, immediately cast doubt over Carter's words when he said the idea of a referendum on a peace agreement "does not mean that Hamas is going to accept the result of the referendum". He said Palestinians living abroad would have to take part in the vote, not only those in the occupied territories.

Carter said it was widely acknowledged on the ground that any progress under the current peace talks, which were launched in Annapolis last November, was so far "of no significance".

"Since Annapolis the peace process has regressed," he said, citing the continued growth of Jewish settlements in the West Bank and the economic blockade on Gaza.

He argued there should be talks with Hamas in order to resolve the Middle East conflict. "We believe the problem is not that I met with Hamas in Syria," he said. "The problem is that Israel and the United States refuse to meet with these people who must be involved."

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter accused Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice of not telling the truth about warnings she said her department gave Carter not to speak to Hamas before a Middle East trip.

The State Department has said U.S. Assistant Secretary of State David Welch, the top U.S. diplomat for the Middle East, issued the warning before Carter, a veteran of Middle East diplomacy, went on his trip.

Rice said in Kuwait: "We counseled President Carter against going to the region and particularly against having contact with Hamas."

"President Carter has the greatest respect for ... Rice and believes her to be a truthful person. However, perhaps inadvertently, she is continuing to make a statement that is not true," a statement issued by the Carter center in Atlanta said.

"No one in the State Department or any other department of the U.S. government ever asked him (Carter) to refrain from his recent visit to the Middle East or even suggested that he not meet with Syrian President (Bashar) Assad or leaders of Hamas," it said.

It said Carter attempted to call Rice before making the trip and a deputy returned his call since Rice was in Europe.

"They had a very pleasant discussion for about 15 minutes, during which he never made any of the negative or cautionary comments described above. He never talked to anyone else," the statement said.

Western diplomatic officials said that reports in Syrian publications that Israel had passed a message to Damascus expressing a willingness to withdraw from the Golan Heights as part of a peace deal missed a major part of the story: what the Syrians would have to do.

According to the officials, who confirmed that messages from Jerusalem to Damascus and vice versa have been going through Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's office for months, Israel made clear that any peace agreement would necessitate Syria ending its support for Hamas and throwing Hamas political leader Khaled Mashaal out of Damascus; ceasing support for Hezbollah; and distancing itself from Iran.

The office of Olmert did not deny the report but stated that it cannot comment on the issue. Member of Knesset Marina Solodkin from Kadima party, headed by Olmert, said that she rejects a withdrawal from the Golan Heights because "Syria cooperates with Iran and Hezbollah" and that at this stage "peace with Syria is collective suicide in Israel". Kadima MK Ze'ev Elkin said that Olmert is underestimating the Israeli public and is voicing vows which he can't implement "such as his statements to divide Jerusalem, and now he is talking about a withdrawal from the Golan Heights". "Soon it will be clearly apparent that Olmert will not receive Knesset approval regarding this issue", Elkin added, "He would not be even supported by members of his own party".

In Lebanon, the eighteenth consecutive session of Lebanon's parliament to elect a new president was postponed, yet again by Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, amid a political vacuum that has persisted since pro-Syrian President Emile Lahoud's term ended on November 24.

The decision by pro-Syrian Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri to postpone the electoral session of parliament came as a surprise to no one, and most political leaders appeared resigned to the outcome.

Ordinary citizens appeared cynical or even angry about the decision to postpone the vote, especially since the ongoing political vacuum has left Lebanon's economy in shambles.

Berri announced his decision to postpone by suggesting that President Bush has promised a "hot summer" for the Middle East, and that the only way to avoid chaos in Lebanon is for, in his words, "a national dialogue between all Lebanese factions."

He also insisted that neither the pro-Western government, nor the opposition pro-Syrian Hezbollah should expect any solution to Lebanon's crisis imposed from the outside.

"No one," he says, "should expect that a solution will be imposed from the East or from the West that will harm the status quo inside Lebanon, or would damage the system of power sharing that began with the Taef peace agreement (which ended Lebanon's civil war)," Berri said.

Member of Parliament Mustapha Allouche, representing the pro-government March 14 coalition, questioned why Berri was keeping parliament paralyzed.

"Berri is a member of the opposition," Allouche said. "Who is he to set conditions for a dialogue... and why do we need a dialogue? Why don't we just hold the vote?"

Both Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, and Saudi King Abdullah have pointed the finger at Syria, accusing it of responsibility in blocking a presidential election.

The United States Embassy in Beirut warned that militant groups may be planning attacks against Americans citizens and interests in Lebanon. The embassy statement was the latest in a series of warden messages urging US citizens to be vigilant.

In Kuwait, Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem held a meeting with his French Counterpart Bernard Kouchner on the sideline of the Third Plenary Meeting of Iraq-Neighboring Countries' Foreign Ministers.

Al-Moallem and Kouchner held useful talks on regional issues, particularly the political crisis in Lebanon and the Syrian-French bilateral issues.

The two sides exchanged point of views frankly on issues which were discussed and means for finding solutions to them.

Following the meeting, the French Minister answered questions of the journalists, expressing happiness with this meeting and said: "I am always happy with meeting of Minister al-Moallem," pointing out that the meeting dealt with the current situation and that Lebanon was on the agenda.

Upon the question if this meeting was similar to the former one in Istanbul, Kouchner underlined that always there is the new to be discussed with the Minister al-Moallem and said:" We are interested and involved in dealing with the proposed issues."