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WASHINGTON, June 25: Herewith are main points of US President George W. Bush’s Monday speech, outlining his vision of Middle East peace.
“The forces of extremism and terror are attempting to kill progress and peace by killing the innocent. And this casts a dark shadow over an entire region.
“For the sake of all humanity, things must change in the Middle East.”
VISION: “My vision is two states, living side by side in peace and security. There is simply no way to achieve that peace until all parties fight terror.”
“Peace requires a new and different Palestinian leadership, so that a Palestinian state can be born. I call on the Palestinian people to elect new leaders, leaders not compromised by terror.
I call upon them to build a practicing democracy based on tolerance and liberty.”
“And when the Palestinian people have new leaders, new institutions and new security arrangements with their neighbors, the United States of America will support the creation of a Palestinian state, whose borders and certain aspects of its sovereignty will be provisional until resolved as part of a final settlement in the Middle East.”
TIMEFRAME: “As new Palestinian institutions and new leaders emerge, demonstrating real performance on security and reform, I expect Israel to respond and work toward a final status agreement.
With intensive effort by all of us, agreement could be reached within three years from now. And I and my country will actively lead toward that goal.”
US, WORLD ASSISTANCE: “The United States, along with the European Union and Arab states, will work with Palestinian leaders to create a new constitutional framework and a working democracy for the Palestinian people. And the United States, along with others in the international community, will help the Palestinians organize and monitor fair, multiparty local elections by the end of the year, with national elections to follow.”
“The US, the international donor community and the World Bank stand ready to work with Palestinians on a major project of economic reform.”
“The United States and members of the international community stand ready to work with Palestinian leaders to establish, finance and monitor a truly independent judiciary.”
ISSUES: “The final borders, the capital and other aspects of this state’s sovereignty will be negotiated between the parties as part of a final settlement.
“Arab states have offered their help in this process, and their help is needed.”
“Ultimately, Israelis and Palestinians must address the core issues that divide them if there is to be a real peace, resolving all claims and ending the conflict between them.
This means that the Israeli occupation that began in 1967 will be ended through a settlement negotiated between the parties, based on UN Resolutions 242 and 338, with Israeli withdrawal to secure and recognized borders.”—AFP
