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Last update - 23:41 01/09/2009
Diplomats: Trilateral Obama meet with Abbas, Netanyahu highly unlikely
By Shlomo Shamir, Barak Ravid and Akiva Eldar, Haaretz Correspondents
Tags: George Mitchell 

Senior diplomats in New York said Tuesday it was highly unlikely that U.S. President Barack Obama, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas would hold a three-way meeting at the end of the month.

The diplomats are credible sources at the United Nations who are in close contact with Israel's delegation to the world body.

Haaretz reported earlier Tuesday that Washington will announce the renewal of talks between Israel and the Palestinian Authority through such a trilateral summit.
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The meeting would take place on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly late this month; two years would be allotted to completing talks on a peace agreement.

The ambassador of a Western nation told Haaretz Tuesday that there was no firm information on such a meeting from any party involved in the Middle East.

He added that members of the U.S. delegation had told him that they were unaware of any plan for a three-way summit between the leaders on Obama's agenda. The U.S. president will stay in New York for three days during the annual opening of the UN General Assembly.

On Monday President Shimon Peres confirmed that such a summit was being considered, under facilitation by Obama.

Peres also urged all sides to broaden the scope of peace talks beyond the contentious issue of settlements, though he called it a matter that would need to be addressed.

"On that particular issue, there is not yet an agreement. Negotiations are going on. I do believe there is a solution for it as well," Peres said. "It's very hard to convince your own people to make so many concessions, to take so many risks."

"But this is the task of a leader to move ahead," he said, adding Netanyahu was aware of what needed to be done. "He knows there is no chance, no escape, no alternative to go ahead and make peace. He knows he must do it ... it's just not a simple proposition," Peres said.

U.S. officials briefed representatives of several European Union countries last week on the diplomatic vision Obama will present at the UN.

Last week, after meeting Netanyahu in London, special U.S. envoy George Mitchell briefed several European Union foreign ministers on the latest developments in Middle East peace talks. Meanwhile, senior White House officials updated several European ambassadors on their plan for advancing the negotiations.

Israel envoys set off for meet with Mitchell in New York

Israeli envoys Yitzhak Molcho and Brig. Gen. Mike Herzog flew to Washington on Monday for talks with Mitchell.

European and Israeli diplomats told Haaretz that Mitchell and other top Washington officials said "Obama has no new peace plan," but only that the diplomatic outline is different from the so-called Annapolis process and is based on several guiding principles.

First is that talks will advance according to the Middle East road map. Second, the target for completing negotiations will be two years from now. Third, unlike the Annapolis process, the United States will take a more active role in the talks and will "take a seat at the negotiating table."

The U.S. officials told the Europeans that in the coming weeks, possibly before the General Assembly opens, Washington could declare an agreement for "confidence-building measures" drafted by Israel and the Palestinians to allow talks to progress.

"We didn't reach 100 percent of what we wanted in Israel and the Arab states, but we got enough to allow for the renewal of talks," a U.S. official said.

The agreement would call for Israel to temporarily or partially freeze settlement building, though the length of the freeze was not stipulated. "In the next meeting with the Israeli negotiating team the issue will be settled conclusively," a U.S. official said. Their counterparts in Jerusalem said the freeze could last at least six to nine months. One Israeli source said the freeze could last up to a year.

Meanwhile, the American officials said they had achieved a series of normalization steps by Arab states toward Israel, though Saudi Arabia had declined to commit to any goodwill gestures toward Israel. Instead, it is transferring several hundred million dollars to the authorities in Ramallah.

One European diplomat said Qatar would reopen the Israeli diplomatic mission in Doha, and several other states will allow direct flights from Israel through their airspace and to their airports. Several Persian Gulf states also agreed to grant tourist visas to Israeli tourists and businesspeople.

The American officials said that after talks are renewed, they would be interested in convening an international peace summit before the end of this year. European and Israeli diplomats said Moscow is a leading possibility to host the meeting, and that members of the Quartet of Mideast peace negotiators had already promised Russia to hold it in that nation's capital.

Another candidate to host the meeting is Paris. French President Nicolas Sarkozy and his Egyptian counterpart Hosni Mubarak recommended to Obama that the summit be held in the city in the framework of the Union for the Mediterranean, of which France and Egypt are co-presidents. Sarkozy also floated the idea separately with Netanyahu and Abbas.

American officials told the Europeans they are also interested in restarting the Israeli-Syrian and Israeli-Lebanese diplomatic tracks, though those processes would take several months to launch. Restarting those tracks, they said, would also improve U.S.-Syrian and Syrian-Lebanese relations.

Monday Abbas said he would agree to renew the peace process with Israel only if it agreed to a freeze on settlement construction.

EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana told Haaretz after meeting Israeli representatives Monday that no agreement had been reached on freezing settlement growth in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.

Solana said Mitchell would return to the area next week in hopes of returning Israel and the Palestinians to the negotiating table.

Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman told Solana Monday, "We must not commit to target dates on a comprehensive agreement, since in the past this has brought disappointment and frustration, and led to conflicts between the two sides.

"The Palestinians' unilateral initiatives do not contribute to creating a positive dialogue between the two sides. If the Salam Fayyad initiative goes through, it won't go unanswered," Lieberman said. Last week the PA prime minister announced a plan for creating a "de facto Palestinian state" within two years if the peace process continues to stagnate.

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      1.   The three novelties are not new 02:17  |  Fortuna Benmayor 01/09/09
      2.   Disunited Palestinians cannot enter negotiations. 02:22  |  John 01/09/09
      3.   MITCHELL SAYS "OBAMA HAS NO PLAN" 02:23  |  Brant 01/09/09
      4.   A peace plan 02:32  |  WHG 01/09/09
      5.   LIEBERMAN SAYS... 02:36  |  Ed 01/09/09
      6.   What about the other half of Palestine... 03:18  |  Jasper 01/09/09
      7.   Everyone agrees to peace as long as it`s a distant goal 03:19  |  bronxtie10 01/09/09
      8.   You DO understand what this is saying, don`t you? 04:28  |  Johnboy 01/09/09
      9.   Johnboy, it`s rather breathtaking... 04:44  |  BBSNews 01/09/09
      10.   Brant, he wants yet another "plan..." 04:54  |  BBSNews 01/09/09
      11.   No 7 re Johnboy`s views on the matzav 05:04  |  Yardena 01/09/09
      12.   Same ol` bs 05:17  |  Michael N 01/09/09
      13.   The Israelis get a free pass to drag their feet 05:29  |  Marc Leb 01/09/09
      14.   Brant thats a great post you sent . I agree totally! 05:38  |  Alan SA 01/09/09
      15.   Rumormongering 05:42  |  Mark of Lewiston 01/09/09
      16.   The West Bank Pallies won`t let it happen 05:51  |  Heat Heath 01/09/09
      17.   Brant, the "SA" dude agrees with ya... 05:53  |  BBSNews 01/09/09
      18.   What, No New Peace Plan? 05:57  |  Jeff Northridge 01/09/09
      19.   Obama`s `no plan` beats bush`s neocon carte blanche any time 06:08  |  gg 01/09/09
      20.   This marriage needs to end! 06:19  |  Haaretz FAn 01/09/09
      21.   Obama is charisma rich and issue poor 06:26  |  Maya 01/09/09
      22.   No peace talks until Israel withdraws to 1967 lines 06:29  |  Ivar 01/09/09
      23.   Good progress and seems parties ready for summit... 06:32  |  Smadar 01/09/09
      24.   first talk, then do the walk, bibi and abbas, please 06:33  |  peter rouget 01/09/09
      25.   translation 06:36  |  Brent 01/09/09
      26.   #2 The PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY won`t be at the talks, John 08:45  |  Johnboy 01/09/09
      27.   the danger of deadlines 08:58  |  peter rouget 01/09/09
      28.   Obama 09:01  |  Baruch 01/09/09
      29.   "Obama has no new peace plan" 10:46  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 01/09/09
      30.   #12, peter rouget, "the dangers of deadlines" 10:50  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 01/09/09
      31.   The choice couldn`t be clearer today.... 10:53  |  Ben 01/09/09
      32.   The question is ! 11:16  |  Akram Zekaria 01/09/09
      33.   Obama envisions 2 years until Mideast peace deal 11:36  |  SAM 01/09/09
      34.   Bibi`s last chance to redeem himself - 11:40  |  ivo 01/09/09
      35.   The Deadline, IF There is One 11:45  |  Mark of Lewiston 01/09/09
      36.   Obama envisions 2 years until peace deal - 11:53  |  DT 01/09/09
      37.   Where`s Bibi ? as of late, Peres & lieberman 12:31  |  Sarah 01/09/09
      38.   Here we go AGAIN. 12:48  |  Keen Observer 01/09/09
      39.   The best thing. 12:51  |  khairi janbek 01/09/09
      40.   where are they? 13:01  |  oz 01/09/09
      41.   The Obama plan is the implementation of the Road Map 13:08  |  Singer 01/09/09
      42.   Bush sad a same thing, 8 years ago..... 13:16  |  Nix 01/09/09
      43.   No new peace plan is needed. Just action on the old one. 13:24  |  Michael 01/09/09
      44.   OBAMA 13:31  |  SHIMI 01/09/09
      45.   Ivar- No right of return? 13:45  |  Sam 01/09/09
      46.   In two years 13:54  |  Mark Lincoln 01/09/09
      47.   what "new" plan did some of you have in mind /expect from Obama? 14:14  |  ivo 01/09/09
      48.   #38 14:59  |  Harold 01/09/09
      49.   Obama envisions lots of things 15:09  |  Jackie 01/09/09
      50.   # 48 Harold - wrong 15:21  |  17 01/09/09
      51.   Obama visions 15:23  |  Christopher 01/09/09
      52.   Until and unless the Arabs accept Israel`s right to be, to exist 15:42  |  Eitan 01/09/09
      53.   there was a time we told the world we do not live near sweden 16:01  |  the fixer 01/09/09
      54.   How many times can one renovate the same room ? 16:31  |  Smadar 01/09/09
      55.   #17@ 49 wrong 16:35  |  Labhras 01/09/09
      56.   Michael # 43 The Quartet`s Road Map Doesn`t Say That At All 16:49  |  Jeff Northridge 01/09/09
      57.   Eitan 52. Accept Arabs` right to refuse to have their land stolen 16:50  |  Michael 01/09/09
      58.   USA Can Make It Happen 16:58  |  Vladek 01/09/09
      59.   palestinians should demand israel go back 17:00  |  sam i am 01/09/09
      60.   forced deadlines 17:08  |  peter rouget 01/09/09
      61.   The two year horizon 17:20  |  Mark Lincoln 01/09/09
      62.   Free Palestian State 17:42  |  Barry Larkman 01/09/09
      63.   Where it all falls apart 17:51  |  The Prophet 01/09/09
      64.   The PA and Hamas leadership will never allow peace. Obama must 17:57  |  ks 01/09/09
      65.   plans and deadline 18:09  |  oz 01/09/09
      66.   obama can succeed where clinton failed? 18:28  |  the fixer 01/09/09
      67.   hilary clinton to india 18:31  |  the fixer 01/09/09
      68.   Jeff 56. So what? That`s the deal. 18:40  |  Michael 01/09/09
      69.   obama is the centre of a web of hagiography 18:53  |  the fixer 01/09/09
      70.   don`t make me laugh 18:54  |  edgar 01/09/09
      71.   #67 fixer why huh 18:54  |  Labhras 01/09/09
      72.   Obama doesn`t telegraph his punches 19:15  |  SD 01/09/09
      73.   the new york times "the great obama slide" 19:28  |  the fixer 01/09/09
      74.   #69 fixer is in a fix---cant get his eyes off Obama 19:32  |  Labhras 01/09/09
      75.   hat happened to natanyahu 19:43  |  the fixer 01/09/09
      76.   Israel,Jews,US, EU have EXPLICITLY accepted Pal state 19:44  |  Sam 01/09/09
      77.   RESIST OBAMA 19:50  |  marat 01/09/09
      78.   2 years 19:54  |  shimi 01/09/09
      79.   Silly anti-Israelis 19:56  |  SDHD 01/09/09
      80.   sam 19:56  |  oz 01/09/09
      81.   Who are the "Palestinians"? The West Bank alone? WB + Gaza? 20:04  |  S 01/09/09
      82.   zionist already have it all their way! why change? 20:08  |  get real 01/09/09
      83.   obama`s speech to apaic 20:20  |  the fixer 01/09/09
      84.   The facts are yet to be released. 20:32  |  Stephen. 01/09/09
      85.   #4 "Bully" 20:51  |  Marc 01/09/09
      86.   obama to aipac 20:55  |  the fixer 01/09/09
      87.   Michael 43 from UK makes a deal with himself 01:35  |  Realist 02/09/09
      88.   MICHAELHighlly unlikely Arabs will settle for a few thousand 01:36  |  PETER SM 02/09/09
      89.   The default positions won`t work 02:24  |  Johnson 02/09/09
      90.   To Labhras@??The message is good,BUT! 02:29  |  The Judge 02/09/09
      91.   #9 You can gleen a lot from Haaretz, BBSNews 02:34  |  Johnboy 02/09/09
      92.   Disinformation demonizes Israel when the Arabs are the malefactor 02:35  |  Johnson 02/09/09
      93.   #81 Well, THAT`S an easy one to answer, S 03:34  |  Johnboy 02/09/09
      94.   Pointing out to those of you with short memories 04:07  |  Johnboy 02/09/09
      95.   Abbas is a clown 06:15  |  Chaim Ben Kahan 02/09/09
      96.   This is getting really old 06:15  |  Colin Wright 02/09/09
      97.   #35,Mark, "what if NATO troops were deployed to secure Palestine" 07:24  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 02/09/09
      98.   Russsia, Paris??? 10:10  |  sandra chitayat 02/09/09
      99.   To Johnboy, Australia, response #8. 10:34  |  sandra chitayat 02/09/09
      100.   Mazal tov, Akram Zakaria of London. 10:47  |  sandra chitayat 02/09/09
      101.   There maybe another desert and exodus in Israel`s future .... 11:52  |  Dutch 02/09/09
      102.   Brant You`re 110% right on the mark. 12:25  |  Petra 02/09/09
      103.   59 Sam I am, I couldn`t agree more... 12:32  |  Dutch 02/09/09
      104.   Johnson@ 93 Repairing,the malefactors:How? 01:44  |  Poor American 03/09/09
      105.   Obama`s additional new problems:Also on the "slippery slop" 02:06  |  American 03/09/09
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