Palestinian-Israeli second round of direct negotiations – Egypt State Information Service press release/Non-UN document

Palestinian-Israeli second round

of direct negotiations

Sharm el-Sheikh

14 September 2010

The second round of direct negotiations will open Tuesday 14/9/2010 between the Palestinians and Israelis in Sharm el-Sheikh. This is considered an international recognition for Egypt and President Hosni Mubarak who witnessed the launch of the direct negotiations in Washington.

Sharm round will be decisive because it takes place before the end of the deadline on freezing settlement building in the territories, which is supposed to end on September 26, 2010.

Hopes in making progress in the Palestinian-Israeli direct negotiations are renewed with the second round of talks. The negotiations could be the beginning of an agreement that could be reached in a year.

US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton praised President Mubarak’s positive role in launching direct negotiations between Palestinians and Israelis.

The five-way Washington summit, expertise and political observers agreed that President Mubarak’s participation in launching the negotiations was the element of credibility which defined the road to peace, so as to reach an agreement that commits both Palestinian and Israeli sides to peace. The agreement to resume Palestinian-Israeli negotiations in Sharm el-Sheikh assures the essential role that Egyptian leadership plays in boosting peace process.

Mubarak to receive heads of participating delegations in direct negotiations

A second round of direct talks between the Palestinians and Israelis kicked off on September 14th 2010 at Sharm el-Sheikh President Hosni Mubarak, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton were present.

Mubarak discussed with Abbas as part of the intensive political activities by the Egyptian leader on the sidelines of the Palestinian-Israeli direct negotiations hosted by Egypt.

The meeting covered the latest developments on the Palestinian arena, especially the direct negotiations that were launched in Washington on September 2 and ways to render the coming rounds successful.

Mubarak spelled out to US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who arrived Tuesday, Egypt's vision on underway efforts to render successful the Palestinian-Israeli direct talks, whose second round will open here later in the day

The talks also reviewed the outcome of the first round which was held in Washington about two weeks ago with the participation of Mubarak, US President Barack Obama, Jordanian King Abdallah II, Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Premier Benjamin Netanyahu.

The talks tackled the US' efforts to achieve peace in the Middle East, especially to coax Israel to extend the moratorium on settlement construction, due to expire on September 26.

Mubarak renewed to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu the necessity to halt settlement building in occupied Arab lands and seize the existing opportunity for peace

The meeting took up efforts exerted by all parties concerned to set the stage for rendering successful the Palestinian-Israeli direct negotiations aimed at achieving the two-state solution

Egypt's vision in this regard was discussed.

FM Spokesman Zaki: Egypt supports just peace

Foreign Ministry Spokesman Hossam Zaki said Egypt exerts great efforts to end the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and reach a just and overall settlement to the Palestinian issue.

In statements to MENA ahead of the 2nd round of direct peace negotiations between the Palestinians and the Israelis, Zaki said "everyone knows how much Egypt is keen on the Palestinian interests."

Egypt is biased to the stance of the Palestinian leadership and the inalienable national rights of the Palestinians, he said, referring to President Mubarak's keynote speech in Washington during the ceremony of launching the direct negotiations in which he stated Egypt's clear stance regarding the peace process.

Egyptian-Palestinian relations are more than excellent, Zaki said, referring to constant dialogues at various levels.

Egypt's role is not confined to hosting the negotiations in Sharm el-Sheikh but will also continue with necessary contacts in the future to reach a just and fair settlement to the Palestinian issue, he said.

He voiced hope that the Israeli side would be convinced with halting settlement activities for good, asserting that settlements will have a grave negative impact on the direct negotiations.

Abbas, Clinton discuss efforts to secure successful negotiations

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas received Tuesday 14/9/2010 at his residence in this Red Sea resort US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. The two sides discussed means of rendering successful the Palestinian-Israeli direct talks.

They also discussed ways of giving fresh impetus to the peace process.

Abbas-Clinton meeting came as part of a series of meetings held by Clinton with the Israeli and Palestinian delegations.

The meeting was also held prior to the tripartite meeting that will be held among the Palestinian, Israeli and US delegations as part of the second round of direct Palestinian-Israeli peace talks.

Shaath: Netanyahu statements on settlements lead to pessimism

Statements by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on settlements lead to pessimism during direct peace talks, said Nabil Shaath, member of the Palestinian Fatah movement Central Committee on Monday.

The second round of Palestinian-Israeli peace talks will kick off here on Tuesday.

The Israeli premier told Tony Blair, the international quartet envoy at a meeting on Sunday that Israel could not afford maintaining a freeze on settlement building.

A freeze on Israeli settlement construction will expire on September 26.