December 6, 2003	Saturday	Shawwal 11, 1424

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WASHINGTON, Dec 5: US Secretary of State Colin Powell met the Israeli and Palestinian authors of an unofficial Middle East peace plan in Washington on Friday, ignoring an appeal by the Israeli government not to do so.

After the meeting, a State Department spokesman told journalists that the so-called Geneva peace initiative complements the US-backed roadmap for peace in the Middle East.

When reminded of the Israeli objection to the meeting, he said: “Israel must fulfil its commitment under the roadmap.”

The architects of the Geneva initiative — former Israeli Justice Minister Yossi Beilin and former Palestinian Interior Minister Yasser Abed Rabbo — are in Washington to win over US support for their plan.

Besides Powell, they are also meeting other senior officials at the White House and the Pentagon.

Their plan calls for the creation of a Palestinian state to exist alongside Israel and for Al Quds to be the capital of both states.