TUFI Special Update: Annapolis Summit
The peace talks surrounding the Annapolis conference came to an end yesterday (29 November), with the Israeli Prime Minster, Ehud Olmert, and the Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas, both returning to the Middle East. The conference was the first big push for a peace settlement since the collapse of negotiations at Camp David in 2000. Nearly 50 countries attended, including Saudi Arabia, Syria, and 15 other Arab nations.
What did the Annapolis summit produce?
• Prime Minister Olmert and President Abbas issued a joint statement on Tuesday (27 November) saying that they will resume final status negotiations on 12 December and promised to try and conclude the talks by the end of 2008. President Bush read out the statement to the hall of delegates:
“We express our determination to bring an end to bloodshed, suffering and decades of conflict between our peoples; to usher in a new era of peace, based on freedom, security, justice, dignity, respect and mutual recognition…We agree to engage in vigorous, ongoing and continuous negotiations and shall make every effort to conclude an agreement before the end of 2008.” (26/11/07)
Implementation of the final deal will be conditional on both parties fulfilling their obligations under stage one of the Road Map. The first stage requires the Palestinians to dismantle the terrorist infrastructure and Israel to freeze settlement construction and dismantle illegal outposts. The parties agreed to set up an American, Palestinian and Israeli mechanism led by the United States to follow up on the implementation of the Road Map.
• After separate meetings with Mahmoud Abbas and Ehud Olmert, President Bush invited them both to the White House on Wednesday (29 November) for a new round of talks. Following their joint session, Bush talked of “active” US involvement in the Arab-Israeli peace process. He said that:
“We will use our power to help you as you come up with the necessary decisions to lay out a Palestinian state that will live side-by-side in peace with Israel” (28/11/07)
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice also announced the appointment of General James Jones as US Middle East Envoy to head the operation tasked with monitoring how the Israelis and Palestinians live up to the commitments made at Annapolis. General Jones, a former marine, was the NATO Supreme Allied Commander in Europe until 2006
Israeli Position
• Prime Minister Olmert expressed cautious optimism about the prospects for peace following the agreement reached at Annapolis. He said that the joint statement exceeded Israeli expectations of what could be achieved at the conference but acknowledged that difficulties lay ahead.
• During Olmert’s address to the conference on Tuesday 27 November he reiterated the parties’ commitment to tackling all final status issues and acknowledged the “painful compromises” that would have to be made in the process. He also acknowledged the suffering of the Palestinian people and expressed hope that the Annapolis process would result in the establishment of a Palestinian state alongside Israel.
“We are not indifferent to this suffering. We are not oblivious to the tragedies that you have experienced. I believe that, in the course of negotiations between us, we will find the right way, as part of an international effort, in which we will participate, to assist these Palestinians in finding a proper framework for their future...” (27/11/07)
Palestinian Position
• In President Abbas’ address, he praised the efforts being made towards finding a final comprehensive resolution to the conflict and praised Arab attendance, calling it a “courageous strategic choice aimed at changing the nature of relations in the region and beginning anew”. He also addressed the people of Gaza, saying that the unity of the Palestinian people would be restored and urged them not to lose hope.
Reaction
• Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal told the Annapolis conference that Saudi Arabia fully supported the announcement that Israeli-Palestinian negotiations would resume immediately, saying:
“We have come to support the launching of serious and continuing talks between the Palestinians and the Israelis that will address all the core and final status issues.” (27/11/07)
• Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov proposed a follow-up conference in Moscow in the spring of 2008. Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa supported the idea, and said that negotiations should be expanded to include Syria and Lebanon.
• After the conclusion of the Annapolis conference, Syrian deputy foreign minister Fayssal Mekdad expressed “hope that this meeting will serve as a point for starting off the process of just and comprehensive peace on all tracks.”
• Tens of thousands of people demonstrated in the Gaza Strip against the Annapolis summit on Tuesday and Wednesday (27&28 November). Smaller demonstrations were staged in the West Bank but were broken up by PA police. A Palestinian man was shot and killed by police during protests in the West bank town of Hebron.
• The Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has been lashing out publicly at those involved in the Annapolis conference. He has denounced the meeting as a Zionist conspiracy and has condemned the other Arab nations who attended.