CAIRO, Egypt, Nov. 23, 2007
Arab Nations To Attend Peace Conference
Saudi Minister Announces He’ll Come To U.S.-Sponsored Middle East Event
-
-
Photo
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is accompanied by Saudi foreign minister Prince Saud al-Faisal upon her arrival at Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, July 31, 2007. Saud al-Faisal has said he will attend next week's U.S.-sponsored Middle East peace conference in Maryland. (AP)
-
Photo
U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, shown here arriving for a U.S. House of Representatives members-only briefing on current developments in the Middle East on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, on November 14, said Wednesday, Nov. 21, 2007 that the U.S. will try to close Israeli-Palestinian peace deal in next year but offers no guarantee. (SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images)
-
-
Interactive
Mideast Conflict
Events, key players and a history of the world's most unstable region.
-
Fast Facts
Saudi Arabia
Learn about the people, economy and history.
Participation by Saudi Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal was a key goal of the United States to show strong Arab support for the conference in Annapolis, Maryland, which is to re-launch Israeli-Palestinian peace talks for the first time in seven years.
Until Friday, the kingdom had balked at saying whether it would attend and at what level, seeking assurances Israel would negotiate the most difficult issues of the Arab-Israeli conflict in negotiations governed by a timetable.
It appeared Syria - the other major holdout - would also attend, since the Arab decision was a collective one. But, asked about Syria's attendance, Arab League chief Amr Moussa said "final arrangements" had to be made. Syria has insisted Annapolis address its demands for the return of the Israeli-held Golan Heights.
The U.S.-backed peace conference in Annapolis will be the first fully-fledged Middle East peace talks since 2000, when former president Bill Clinton hosted a meeting between Israeli and Palestinian leaders at Camp David, CBS News producer George Baghdadi reports from Damascus.
Al-Faisal told a press conference that an Arab League meeting Friday had decided that Arab countries will attend Annapolis at the level of foreign minister.
"I'm not hiding any secret about the Saudi position. We were reluctant until today. And if not for the Arab consensus we felt today, we would not have decided to go," al-Faisal said. "But the kingdom would never stand against an Arab consensus, as long as the Arab position has agreed on attending, the kingdom will walk along with its brothers in one line."
But he cautioned, "We are not prepared to take part in a theatrical show, in handshakes and meeting that don't express political positions. We are going with seriousness and we work on the same seriousness and credibility."
Asked if Syria would attend as well, Moussa said "Syria's foreign minister was present" at the discussions and "the decision is a joint decision."
But, he added, "we are waiting for final arrangements and it will take place in the additional talks," which will take place in a meeting of Arab foreign ministers in Washington on Monday, a day before the Annapolis conference. It was not clear if the comments meant Syria could still decide not to attend or to send a lower-level representative.
Saudi Arabia, which does not have diplomatic relations with Israel, has feared that the conference would become little more than a photo op, cornering it into high-profile public contacts with Israel without a guarantee of concessions from the Jewish state.
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice told reporters Wednesday that other disputed issues could be raised at Annapolis, including the Golan Heights. Indeed, one of the three sessions to be held at the conference's plenary session on Tuesday will deal with comprehensive peace, Baghdadi reports.
"Syria's taking part in any conference or meeting on peace in the region is conditioned to the inclusion of the issue of the Golan on its agenda as well as the Israeli withdrawal from the occupied Arab territories until June 4th 1967 line," said Minister of Information Mohsen Bilal in a lecture at Damascus University on Wednesday.
The kingdom was looking for an Israeli commitment that Israeli-Palestinian negotiations will tackle the core, most difficult issues of the conflict, such as final borders of a Palestinian state, the status of Jerusalem and the fate of Palestinian refugees.
But in the end, it is going without a guarantee of getting those commitments in writing.
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has sought to reassure Arab nations, saying negotiations would address the core issues and that a deal could be reached in 2008. But Israel has opposed a formal timetable for talks and the specific mention of the major issues in a joint declaration that is expected to be issued at Annapolis.
Israel welcomed the news that al-Faisal would attend. "We are happy ... that they (the Saudis) feel a need to have representation at a significant level," Miri Eisin, spokesman for Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, said. "We are happy that they are involved and are showing support for the process to make sure it goes forward."
Saudi Arabia, as well as Syria, attended the 1991 Madrid peace conference that brought together Israel and Arab countries. But the kingdom and other Arab nations have been cautious over any steps that would be seen as "naturalization" with Israel before it returns Arab lands seized in the 1967 war.
The Arab League decision, made after intense discussions late Thursday and Friday, meant that the members of a league committee tasked earlier this year with dealing with the peace process will attend Annapolis. Those countries include Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia and Yemen.
Much of the day's talks were focused on trying to persuade Damascus that the Annapolis conference would at least in some way address the Golan issue. The league gathering sent a joint letter to Washington demanding that the conference deal with relaunching negotiations between Israel and Syria, which wants the full return of the Golan in return for peace.
"We are waiting for the American response," Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem told reporters earlier Friday, adding that the response would decide whether Syria would attend the conference or not. "What would be the importance of Syria participation if Golan wasn't part of the agenda?"
At Friday's meeting, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas called for the inclusion of the Syrian track at Annapolis.
Nimr Hamad, an adviser to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, said that the priority of the Annapolis conference is for the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, "without exluding the Syrian and Lebanese angles."
He said there is a proposal to hold a second conference in several months in Moscow to launch Syrian-Israeli peace negotiations.
According to Arab diplomats, while Washington's invitation did not specifically call for resumption of negotiations on the Golan, it referred to U.N. resolutions concerning the Arab-Israeli conflict as well as the 2002 Arab peace initiative, which calls for a return for Arab lands seized in 1967 in return for full peace with Israel.
Earlier this week, Rice said there would be room at Annapolis to talk about the Golan.
© MMVII, CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
- 1
- 2
- next
See all 57 CommentsWWW.ZEITGEISTMOVIE.COM
Do you suppose more good will come from not talking and listening to oothers?
The fact that peace isn''t easy to obtain is not a reason to give up trying.
Past attempts have not always resulted in progress, but when they have they''ve been motre productive( and far less expensive to the taxpayer) than any of the wars.
My response to your cynicism was besy spoken by Bobby Kennedy, " Some men see things as they are. I see things as they could be and say, why not?"
That''s an oxymoron.
Like Paris Hilton and virginity.
Or Bush and truth.
The Saudis are the problem. They own the planet, they own the U.S. Presidency, and they are one of the biggest violators of human rights.
If it had been up to Bush, they would have owned all U.S. ports.
Islam and peace.
Every trouble spot on this planet is caused by these crazy islamists.
When will they get down to praying five times a day instead of five suicide bombs a day?
Israel and fairness.
When will they stop grabbing other people''s lands.
Posted by Abdoul_Pasha at 12:21 PM : Nov 23, 2007
Sure. Play the same victim game. Blame the Israelis.
Gandhi never blamed the British.
MLK never blamed the whites.
They achieved their goals.
The trouble in Palestine is caused by their own self-serving leaders. Look at the civil war between Hamas and Fatah.
And Israel is happy to play that division and reap its rewards -- more illegal settlements.
Posted by Abdoul_Pasha at 12:21 PM : Nov 23, 2007
It''s not because of the Israelis.
It''s all the inept and self-serving leaders you had.
Which points the problems right to the people - because leaders are put there by the people.
Just imagine what might have happened if Gandhi had led the Palestinians instead of Arafat.
Again, I say you''re playing right into the Israelis game.
They love inept leaders like what you guys have.
Because all you guys do is blow up a few things here and there.
And in the meantime, they''re grabbing your land with impunity.
And what do you guys do?
Whine and do your dumb five suicide bombs a day.
The fact that peace isn''''t easy to obtain is not a reason to give up trying.
Posted by realpatriot1 at 11:36 AM : Nov 23, 2007
There is some merit in what you say although I believe that you and I may be more likely to help the situation in our discussions than those going to this meeting will be in their discussions.
Which is truly sad.
I am concerned that those involved in this meeting are:
1. Not representative of those engaged in distress and dispute in the region - those people have been excluded;
2. Primarilly interested in using the meeting to reach agreements among themselves on how best to increase their dominance of those in distress and dispute - who have been excluded;
3. Demonstrably dishonest and untrustworthy; and
4. Demonstrably violent and cruel.
It more a meeting of thieves and killers than a peace meeting.
I think a peace meeting would be a very good idea. When Israel and Hamas (the elected representatives of the Palisinians) and Fatah and Syria decide to talk about doing something to take care of the people in their charge then maybe there will be reason to expect cooperation and peace. Until then it is all just different faces of coercion and war.
They really should stop it.
Their contribution to the world has been - camels, and desert sand.
The only way the get virgins is by becoming terrorist.
They are like hillbillies with money.
Then there is bush kissing their azz.
---- Bush has lost the "Iraq War of Roses" & is loosing the "Forgotten War in Afaganistan",,, He''s destabilized the entire reagion & divided our own country -----
------ Everything Bush/Rice does is for the ''08 election, including this perverted peace confrence.. It''s nothing but a photo op
The Israelis have plenty of opportunity to provide water and food and help in building the economy of palestine/gaza. They could release people from gaza who are politically associated with Hamas from prisons.
Hamas and Fatah have plenty of opportunity to do better - although they have virtually no economic resource they can refrain from violence and take care of people they might otherwise be inclined to harm.
Meetings do not build confidence and peace - actions do.
It would be great if America and Israel and Syria and Hamas and Fatah had leaders like Gandi - but in the meantime even flawed people with murderous inclinations can overcome themselves and do good things.
"Doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results."
The Palestinians have been doing the same terrorist thing for years and they still haven''t figured out that violence doesn''t work.
One hundred years from now, they''d still be doing the odd suicide bomb here and there and congratulate themselves on their killings, but in the meantime, the West Bank and Gaza would all have been annexed by the Israelis by then.
That''s why they''re called the crazy islamists.
THERE IS NOTHING IN THE MIDDLE EAST AMERICA NEEDS!
LET THESE ANIMALS ALL FIGHT IT OUT ON THEIR OWN WITHOUT AMERICAN INVOLVEMENT!
ALL OF THEM PUT TOGETHER ARE NOT WORTH ONE DROP OF AMERICAN BLOOD OR ONE DEFLATED AMERICAN DOLLAR!
I just hope that the US is not dumb enough to transfer American civilians to Iraq and then try to withdraw except for those places where the Americans had been transfer to because then Iraq would not accept that and there''d be a constant state of war.
But since the US hasn''t transfer its civilians to other people''s land then perhaps it can impart some wisdom to Israel and tell it, "Dude, that''s not cool. You''re endangering your civilians and making peace that much more difficult. Dude, cut it out!"
America to the rescue!!!
Posted by Abdoul_Pasha at 03:36 PM : Nov 23, 2007
Lucky you.
I''m always amazed at how these islamists can be so selective when it comes to things western.
They have a problem with America but they don''t have any problem using cellphones, the internet, video cameras etc.
Where do they think these gadgets came from?
Some magic cave?
Just as Mohammad took the land from the Jews which as happens in war.. but now Israel has a portion of this area which is the size of lake Michigan.. If you knew your history, much of it was brought from the Arabs (unlike what Mohammad did to the Jews, see below) who were happy to take money from the stupid Jews because they didn''t think that it was worth much, now that they see it blooming they want it..
Qur%u2019an 33:26 %u201CAllah made the Jews leave their homes by terrorizing them so that you killed some and made many captive. And He made you inherit their lands, their homes, and their wealth. He gave you a country you had not traversed before.%u201D
Qur%u2019an 59:2 %u201CIt was Allah who drove the [Jewish] People of the Book from their homes and into exile. They refused to believe and imagined that their strongholds would protect them against Allah. But Allah came at them from where they did not suspect, and filled their hearts with terror. Their homes were destroyed. So learn a lesson, O men who have eyes. This is My warning%u2026they shall taste the torment of Fire.%u201D
Tabari VIII:143 %u201CIn this year a twenty-four man raiding party led by Shuja went to the Banu Amir. He launched a raid on them and took camels and sheep
muslimes work?
It wont work, all it does is give them more time to get ready and to multiply in the lands of the infidels...so that as the quran says, when the time is right and they are called????
Their weaponry is not yet full enough..
And oh by the way, we now have carols, nativity scenes, father Christmas etc back in Australia.. it might offend a few but they came to live here and not having them offends a nation..
It was fantastic though as it meant that Christmas no longer had any meaning and therefor the population had no reason to buy presents etc, once this took hold, it would have saved us so much money..
Not all Muslim''s are Terrorist''s, However, most terrorist''s are Muslim.
And second of all: Why do they need us? 10,000 ******** miles away! To negotiate THEIR PEACE!?
Not all Muslim''''s are Terrorist''''s, However, most terrorist''''s are Muslim.
Posted by republic1776 at 07:03 PM : Nov 23, 2007
When GEN Tommy Franks visited Saudi Arabia and met with then Crown Prince Abdullah (current king), he was told by Abdullah;
"American can have many friends in the Arab world, Isreal divide us".
My point is, why we should make people in the Middle East our enemies and buy HATRED, TERRORISM and 9/11 against our nation for a NON-AMERICAN CAUSE, NON-AMERICAN PEOPLE and a NON-AMERICAN LAND.
United states is founded on the principle of Liberty and Justice for all.
If Hitler was responsible for killing of innocent people in Europe, there is no reason why those Palestinians should pay the price who can''''t even speak the language spoken by Hitler.
If CONCENTRATION CAMPS were in GERMANY, there is no reason why ISRAEL should be founded in a completely different country in Palestine far away from the CONCENTRATION CAMPS in GERMANY.
In the name of CHRISTIANITY, Americans have been forced to support the occupation of not only PALESTINE but the whole region between EUPHRATE IN IRAQ to NILE IN EGYPT and give that land (promised land) to those who have been chosen by their god because of the RACE or FAMILY they are born in.
This RACISM and INJUSTICE practised in the name of CHRISTIANITY is the main reason for HATRED and TERRORISM against our nation which is un-acceptable.
Why do you think we should protect existence of ISRAEL far away from the CONCENTRATION CAMPS in GERMANY to buy HATRED, TERRORISM and 9/11 against UNHOLY LAND UNITED STATES and GOD-NEGLECTED AMERICANS?
Why Foley was harassing a little boy on the Internet?
Why Bill O''rielly (Champion of CHRISTIAN FAMILY VALUE) was sexually harassing a female at work and why he paid her $10 Million to keep her mouth shut?
Because JESUS died for their SINS.
-- No more meddling in other country''s political affairs
-- No more aggressive military actions overseas
-- No more torture prisons
-- No more pseudo-wars like the "War on Drugs"
-- No more IRS and unconstitutional income taxes
-- No more Federal Reserve (the group of private banks which owns our government)
-- No more erosion of Social Security to pay for militarization
-- No more U.N. (one world government) participation
-- No more NAFTA, CAFTA, WTO or GATT (globalist trade cartels)
-- No more North American Union (loss of U.S. sovereignty)
-- No more federal gun control laws
-- No more illegal aliens pouring-in over our country''s borders
-- No more illegal aliens allowed to roam freely in our streets
-- No more national ID cards (Real ID Act)
-- No more government invasion of your privacy
-- No more federal Laws which force you to take unwanted injections
-- No more federal Laws which are not authorized by The Constitution
-- No more federal erosion of State sovereignty
-- No more unlimited federal government
They don''t call him "Dr. No" for no reason. The Doctor is in! Find-out what CBS hides from you, and join us in this 21st Century political revolution at ronpaul2008.com
"Those who expect to reap the blessing of freedom must undergo the fatigue of supporting it."
- Thomas Paine
"Ron Paul doesn''t represent your Father''s school of political thought. He represents your Founding Fathers."
- Me
- 1
- 2
- next
See all 57 Comments