December 5, 2003	Friday	Shawwal 10, 1424

Please Visit our Sponsor (Ads open in separate window)

WASHINGTON, Dec 4: The US State Department has worked out a plan for Secretary of State Colin Powell to meet the co-authors of an unofficial Arab-Israeli peace plan without annoying the Israeli government, Arab and Israeli diplomatic sources told reporters in Washington on Thursday.

The sources said Mr Powell will “drop in” during a meeting between the peace delegation, which is expected to arrive in Washington on Friday, and the assistant secretary of state.

“The Israelis are not so much worried about the meeting itself,” said an Arab diplomat familiar with the developments. “They are more concerned about the political repercussions of the secretary receiving a private Arab-Israeli delegation because they believe that it could belittle the Israeli government.”

The diplomat said a drop in by Mr Powell would be a way to please all sides.

“But if the secretary drops in while the delegation is meeting senior State Department officials, there will be no press coverage (and) no pictures of Mr Powell shaking hands with the delegates,” the diplomat said.

Diplomatic sources had earlier said a decision on Mr Powell’s proposed meeting with the authors of the Geneva Accord - Yossi Beilin, a former Israeli Cabinet minister, and Yasser Abed Rabbo, a former Palestinian Cabinet minister — had not been made. The sources said though Mr Powell was inclined to meet the delegation, Israel’s objections would have an impact on his decision.

Mr Powell earlier said he intended to meet the group, but offered no apologies.

“I do not know why I or anyone else in the US government should deny ourselves the opportunity to hear from others who are committed to peace and who have ideas with respect to peace,” he said.

The Israeli Embassy in Washington told United Press International they were satisfied with the US position.

“We’ve been assured by our American partners that the “road map” remains the only relevant programme for moving forward in the Middle East peace process and in no way should any meeting that may take place be seen as an official American endorsement,” said Mark Regev, an embassy spokesman.