U.S. balks at Putin's Mideast peace conference plan
Reuters
Date: 04-27-05
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States balked on Wednesday at a proposal by Russian President Vladimir Putin for a peace conference this fall to try to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, saying the timing was not right.
"We believe there will be an appropriate time for an international conference, but we are not at that stage now and I don't expect that we will be there by the fall," said White House spokesman Scott McClellan.
Bush administration officials sought to play down any rift with Moscow over how to jump-start the Middle East peace process. But the disagreement over the conference comes at a time of rising U.S.-Russian tensions over Putin's commitment to democracy and Moscow's relations with Syria and Iran.
The White House also made clear it disagreed with recent statements by Putin lamenting the demise of the Soviet Union.
"We have no regret that the break-up of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War. That was an important moment in our history that has led to the advance of freedom and democracy," McClellan said.
Putin's proposal for a Middle East peace conference in Moscow also drew a wary response from Israel, which said it would oppose any effort to circumvent the U.S.-backed "road map" peace plan.
The Palestinians supported Putin's conference, saying it would help prepare for final status negotiations following a cease-fire agreement and Israeli withdrawals from Gaza and some of the West Bank.
"We appreciate President Putin's commitment to the 'road map.' Russia is a valued member of the quartet," McClellan said, referring to the group of Middle East peace mediators -- the United States, the European Union, Russia and the United Nations.
"We need to continue to focus our efforts on the disengagement plan," McClellan added. "We all need to do what we can to support the Palestinian leaders as they move forward to put the institutions in place for a viable democracy to emerge."
The quartet has named outgoing World Bank President James Wolfensohn to serve as "special envoy" to help coordinate Israel's planned withdrawal from the Gaza Strip and spearhead reconstruction there once the Palestinians take over.
Bush has said implementation of the "road map" could hinge on the outcome of Israel's planned evacuation of all 21 settlements in Gaza and four of 120 settlements in the West Bank.
The Bush administration has been criticized for not taking a more active role in Middle East peacemaking and for failing to name an overall U.S. peace envoy.
Putin, who arrived in Israel on Wednesday, said he would discuss the plan with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. Speaking earlier in Egypt alongside President Hosni Mubarak, Putin gave few details of the proposal for the autumn summit but said Russia would start contacts to discuss the agenda.
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