By Xinhua,
Jerusalem : Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said Tuesday that his country should take advantage of the friendly current U.S. government to prod the staggering peace talks with the Palestinians.
“One thing is certain: this administration is especially friendly,” Olmert told the weekly cabinet meeting, referring to U.S. President George W. Bush’s administration.
“We cannot miss taking advantage of this opportunity,” local daily The Jerusalem Post quoted him as saying. “Therefore, the element of time holds special importance. We must not lose this.”
He cautioned that it is yet to be known “what will happen with the next U.S. government,” adding his assumption is that “every American president will preserve the special friendship that was built on mutual values and on mutual interests.”
Olmert admitted that the Jewish state and the Palestinians have not come to any formal, written documents since they relaunched the peace talks in November with an aim to reach a comprehensive peace deal within 2008.
The prime minister, however, assured that “we’re working with the intent of making progress towards building a foundation for a solution, within the framework of the time frame we presented.”
U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is due to pay her sixth visit to the Middle East this weekend and is expected to hold talks with Israeli and Palestinian officials to give a fresh push to the sluggish peace process.