By Munir K. Nasser
Chief Correspondent, Washington, DC
Albawaba.com
US Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs, Edward Walker, said the Oslo framework for a final peace settlement between Israel and the Palestinians is still valid, despite the recent violence in the region.
Walker said there is no need for a new conceptual framework, because “the proper framework already exists and contains the principles that will go into making a peaceful resolution based on UN Security Council Resolutions 242 and 338, and the principle of exchanging land for peace."
Walker stressed that the prospect of a Palestinian state, the return of refugees, territorial decisions on final borders and security commitments “were the elements that came out of Camp David. That's the framework now," he added.
Walker made those comments to the Washington File in advance of his trip to Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, London and Moscow December 10-14.
He said the US diplomatic efforts are still concentrating on the efforts to dampen down the violence and to get a calmer situation in the West Bank and Gaza. “At the same time, we are working to move back to the negotiating table,” he said. “We are encouraging the parties to work together to carry on with the discussions, which so far have led to Camp David, but need to go further. That's what we're trying to do at the current time, and we're hopeful.”
Walker noted that a final status agreement means the two sides have to deal with all the issues that were raised at Camp David. “They are extremely difficult issues, which raise a lot of emotions, but we have to deal with them if we're going to get a peaceful settlement to this issue. We think this is possible on a fair and just basis. We think if we can reach that sort of an agreement, we'll eliminate the sources of violence that currently exist.”
When asked why the US has not come out as clearly and as loud as other governments in criticizing Israel’s use of excessive force against Palestinian civilians, Walker said “We don't condone the use of excessive force. We don't condone the use of force. We're interested in a cessation of the violence.” He added that the US is “appalled at the death toll and at children being killed and the casualties on both sides, and obviously, the Palestinians have taken the brunt of this.”
Walker also said the US is “deeply disturbed” at the economic conditions in the Palestinian areas. “This is not sustainable,” he noted. “But we are hopeful that we have turned the corner here. Recently there have been some encouraging moves. First of all, the violence has calmed down to some extent. Also there has been some relaxation of restrictions on the Palestinian areas such as the airport and points of importation. It's not enough, but it is a step in the right direction. That's what we're trying to encourage.”
Walker said the Fact-Finding Commission headed by Senator Mitchell is expected to go to the region fairly quickly. “We're looking for an effort by Senator Mitchell and his colleagues to explore the basic reasons for the outburst of violence and to evaluate these reasons and then to make recommendations on how the parties can avoid or prevent such violence in the future.”
Commenting on the situation in Iraq, Walker said the latest extension in the program to help the Iraqi people has the ability to answer some of the residual problems that still exist. “There is still $12 billion in the oil-for-food program that Saddam Hussein has not used,” he noted. “At the same time, while he is talking about giving $200 million to the Palestinians--which, by the way, may not be a bad idea--he is not providing funds for his people. This is a serious question mark about his real intentions.”
Walker remarked that the Iraqi people “have paid an awfully high price for leaders over whom they have no control. He said the US government has to balance the need for alleviating the suffering of the Iraqi people with the need to deny Saddam the ability to again threaten his neighbors.
“At the same time, the US government “does not want to see divisions of Saddam Hussein's Republican Guards with the latest tanks, an Iraqi nuclear bomb, or Iraqi missiles that could reach Paris,” he stressed.
Walker said the US relations with the Gulf States are very strong.
He noted, “It also is very clear that the leaders and people of the Gulf are deeply concerned about what is going on in the Palestinian Authority areas and what is happening to the Palestinian people.” He added the US government is in close touch with each of these countries, seeking their best advice on how to deal with this problem and how to reassure people in the region that the US government is doing its utmost to stop this violence and move back to negotiations for a just peace agreement.
Walker said the purpose of his trip to North Africa this week is to talk to friends of the US about the Middle East peace process. “They have been very important contributors to the move towards peace in the region, particularly through the Jerusalem Committee and Tunisia's membership on the UN Security Council,” he said. “I want to consult with them about what we're doing, the way we're doing it and get their advice about what they think still needs to be done to help in that process.”
Walker said the transition in the United States to a new administration doesn't affect US interests.
“US interests dictate the attention of any administration, whether it's brand new or it has been around for some time,” he said. “It is not in our interest to see the situation of violence continue. It is not in our interest to see the collapse of the peace process. I'm sure that this would be the position of either Al Gore or George W. Bush, depending on the result of this election. They will be as committed as this administration to ending the violence and seeing the peace process resume. I don't have any concerns about that.”
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