29 May 2009
Obama, Palestinian President Abbas Discuss Peace Talks
Washington — Saying time is critical in the Middle East peace talks, President Obama urged the Israelis and Palestinians to resume negotiations because the absence of peace is impeding “a whole host of other areas of increased cooperation and more stable security” for the region and the United States.
“We can’t continue with a drift, with the increased fear and resentments on both sides, the sense of hopelessness around the situation that we’ve seen for many years now,” Obama said at a May 28 joint press briefing with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. “We need to get this thing back on track.”
Abbas agreed with Obama, saying that “what is needed right now is to resume the discussions with the current Israeli government.”
Obama met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu May 18 at the White House and discussed the peace process at length in a long Oval Office session. He repeated the process May 28 with Abbas.
The president will meet with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak on June 4 in Cairo, where he is also planning to give a major speech directed at the Muslim world. “Certainly the issue of Middle East peace is something that is going to need to be addressed. It is a critical factor in the minds of Arabs in countries throughout the region and beyond the region,” Obama said.
Obama said he told Netanyahu that each party to the peace process has obligations under the road map developed in June 2002, which includes a requirement for Israel to stop developing settlements in the West Bank. The road map — which was developed by the United States, European Union, Russia and the United Nations (known collectively as the Quartet) — calls for the creation of a Palestinian state living at peace alongside Israel.
“I’ve been a strong believer in a two-state solution that would provide the Israelis and Palestinians the peace and security that they need,” Obama said. “I am very appreciative that President Abbas shares that view. And when Prime Minister Netanyahu was here last week I reiterated to him that the framework that’s been provided by the road map is one that can advance the interests of Israel, can advance the interests of the Palestinian people, and also can advance the interests of the United States.”
For the Palestinian side, Obama said it is critical for Abbas’ government to continue to take security steps in the West Bank. “Those security steps need to continue because Israel has to have some confidence that security in the West Bank is in place in order for us to advance this process,” Obama said.
In addition to Obama’s speech in Cairo on June 4, the president will also meet with Saudi Arabian officials in Riyadh on June 3 before going to Germany on June 5 and France June 6. He will participate in ceremonies in Normandy on June 6, commemorating the 65th anniversary of the D-Day landings in World War II.
A transcript of remarks by Obama and Abbas is available on America.gov.
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