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| Middle East |
| Israel and Qatar hold talks - bypass of Saudis? |
| 2003-05-14 |
| EFL - Jpost - Reg req'd Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom described his meeting in Paris with his Qatari counterpart Wednesday as a first step toward Middle East peace, and called upon other Arab nations to open a dialogue with Israel. "This meeting brings a glimmer of hope to the whole region," Shalom said at a joint news conference with Hamad Al Thani. It was the first-ever such high-level meeting between the two countries, and the first public meeting between Israel's foreign minister and that of an Arab foreign minister in months. "I think this meeting between us here can be a start that will bring better relations to Israel and Qatar, and Israel and the Arab world," Shalom said. He described the talks as "one important step to bringing peace to Israel and the Arab world." The meeting came a week after the emir of Qatar, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, visited President George W. Bush in Washington, and officials in Jerusalem said the two events were not disconnected. Bush explained that our friends should also be friends — Also, it would put Saudi Arabia's panties in a bunch According to these officials, Qatar — which is rapidly becoming the US's key ally in the Persian Gulf — is interested in taking a leadership role in regional politics, and is also being encouraged by the US to do so. Since they are eminently more reasonable and less medieval These officials said the US is hoping the Israeli-Qatar meeting will provide momentum and create a positive atmosphere for talks on the road map. Shalom said he also hoped the talks with Al Thani will inspire other Arab nations to begin discussions with Israel. Following the signing of the Oslo peace accords in 1993, Israel developed tentative relations with some of the Persian Gulf states, opening trade offices in Qatar and Oman in 1996. After the outbreak of Palestinian violence in September 2000, Egypt pulled its ambassador from Israel, Jordan left its vacant ambassadorship position in Tel Aviv unfilled, and Oman, as well as Morocco and Tunisia, cut trade ties. Israel's interest section in Qatar remained open, but at a very low level and out of the public eye. Al Thani said after the Paris press conference that Qatar was keen to play a role in persuading Israel and the Palestinians to end the violence and return to negotiations. "There is no alternative to negotiations," he said. But "both sides have to sacrifice to reach a solution." Al Thani said it was too early for Qatar to consider opening full diplomatic ties with Israel. "We don't object to having a treaty with Israel but we don't think it's necessary now," he said. Both ministers declined to discuss details of their one-hour talks. |
| Posted by:Frank G |