[A-List] UK sub-imperialism: crisis management

["Keaney Michael" <Michael.Keaney@xxxxxx>]

Blair calls for conference on Middle East peace

Britain will seek urgent action to resolve conflict

Brian Whitaker, and Jonathan Steele in Jerusalem
Wednesday September 25, 2002
The Guardian

Tony Blair yesterday called for a new conference to revive the Middle
East peace process, signalling his personal view that the
Israeli-Palestinian crisis must be tackled at the same time as Iraq.

"We need urgent action to build a security infrastructure that gives
both Israelis and Palestinians confidence and stops the next suicide
bomb closing down the prospects of progress," the prime minister told
the Commons.

"We need political reform for the Palestinian Authority and we need a
new conference on the Middle East peace process based on the twin
principles of a secure Israel and a viable Palestinian state," he
continued.

"What we need is a firm commitment to action and a massive mobilisation
of energy to get the peace process moving again, and we will play our
part in any way we can."

Although many officials in Washington seem content to leave the
Israeli-Palestinian conflict on the back burner while they deal with
Iraq, Mr Blair has privately told cabinet colleagues the peace process
must move forward in parallel with any action on Iraq. He is said to
regard the conflict as an achilles heel that could jeopardise a
successful US and British strategy on Iraq.

Sources close to Mr Blair say he is working on plans for a major
initiative to revive the peace process.

For months Arab leaders have been arguing that the Israeli-Palestinian
conflict should have a much higher priority than Iraq, and that dealing
with Iraq in isolation would destroy any appearance of western
even-handedness towards the region.

Later in yesterday's Commons debate, answering a question from Labour MP
Gerald Kaufman, Mr Blair said Britain was working with the US and others
to try to put together a "proper conference" on how to get the Middle
East peace process restarted.

He added: "I think that the concern of the Arab world is not that they
hold any brief for Saddam at all - they don't - but they feel that we
should be pursuing with equal vigour a just resolution in the Middle
East. But that just resolution, as I point out to them, has to involve
security for Israel as well as a viable Palestinian state."

Whitehall sources said Mr Blair's remarks essentially signalled his
personal blessing for moves made by the quartet of Middle East mediators
- the US, Russia, the EU and the UN - in New York last week.

The quartet resolved to "encourage all parties to step up to their
responsibilities to seek a just and comprehensive settlement to the
conflict based on UN security council resolutions 242, 338, and 1397,
the Madrid terms of reference, the principle of land for peace, and
implementation of all existing agreements between the parties".

The Quartet is working on a three-stage plan that could achieve a final
settlement within three years.

In preparation for the creation of a Palestinian state, it also supports
"efforts by the Palestinians to develop a constitution which ensures
separation of power, transparency, accountability, and the vibrant
political system which Palestinians deserve".

Dore Gold, a foreign policy adviser to the Israeli prime minister, said
yesterday he saw little value in a conference until there is a change of
line among the Palestinians.

"Some months ago Israel recommended the convening of a regional
conference based on like-minded leaders who renounce terror. It's hard
to put [the Palestinian leader Yasser] Arafat into that category," he
said.

"Israel is focused right now on the emergence of a new Palestinian
leadership, based on accountability, which is able to pull them out of
the morass."

The Palestinian minister for information, Yasser Abed Rabbo, said he
hoped the idea of a new conference was not a "smokescreen for an attack
on Iraq but a genuine idea which will be pursued. Mr Blair made a
similar proposal at that time and said he wanted to plan an active role
but it was suppressed by Britain's main ally, the United States."