By Xinhua
Jerusalem : Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni stressed Thursday that the Palestinians must implement the security principles of Road Map plan, before Israel undertakes its parts in the agreement on which the two sides are negotiating.
Livni, who is also vice prime minister of Israel, made the remarks during her meeting with U.S. National Security Advisor Stephen Hadley in Tel Aviv, according to a press release of the Foreign Ministry.
Livni briefed Hadley on the status of negotiations in light of her meetings with the Israeli and Palestinian negotiating teams.
“The process is complex, and we must manage it wisely to enable us to reach agreements, after which the Road Map security principles will be implemented by the Palestinians. At that stage, Israel will be able to undertake its own part in the agreements.”
Livni said she saw “extreme importance in the dialogue taking place today between Israel and the Palestinians.”
She added that the United States, international community, the Arab states and Tony Blair, the Quartet’s special envoy to the Middle East all play an important role in bringing about success of the process.
Livni also stated that these involved parties must play their parts, to ensure success of the Mideast peace conference which itself is a part of the process.
The U.S.-sponsored Mideast peace conference is scheduled to be held in Annapolis, Maryland of the United States later this year.
“The Annapolis conference will not yield a peace treaty between Israel and the Palestinians but it is a stepping stone in the process,” Prime Minister Ehud Olmert told a gathering of Israel Bonds representatives in Jerusalem on Thursday morning, Israeli local daily Ha’aretz reported.
Olmert and Palestinian National Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas are expected to meet privately on Friday in Jerusalem to discuss progress in the talks between the Israeli and Palestinians negotiating teams ahead of the Annapolis summit.