Power plan aims for solid peace in Middle East in 3 years

NEW YORK - A powerful "quartet" of international mediators outlined a broad peace plan yesterday that will demand Palestinian reform and Israeli withdrawals, aiming at a final Middle East settlement within three years.

"We need a process that is both performance-driven and hope-driven, because we need both," said UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan.

He was speaking after talks with the other quartet members: US Secretary of State Colin Powell, Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov and senior European Union officials.

The quartet also held separate discussions with Israel's foreign minister and a group of five Arab foreign ministers.

Annan said the quartet were still working on a "road map" to promote security, Palestinian reform and a final peace deal that was initially drafted by the EU to flesh out a June 24 speech by US President George W. Bush, who envisaged the creation of a Palestinian state within three years.

While Bush said Israel must eventually end its 35-year-old occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip and dismantle its settlements there, he laid the onus on the Palestinians to reform their institutions and choose leaders "not compromised by terror" - a reference to President Yasser Arafat.

Annan made clear that the quartet's three-phase road map would require reciprocal action from Israel and the Palestinians, adding that the group would monitor each side's compliance with set benchmarks.

"The first phase will see Palestinian security reform, Israeli withdrawals and support for Palestinian elections to be held in early 2003," he said, promising action to tackle the humanitarian crisis in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

Phase two next year would "focus on the option of creating a Palestinian state with provisional borders and based on a new constitution".

This would be a "way-station" to a permanent settlement after Israeli-Palestinian negotiations in 2004 to mid-2005.

"Comprehensive security performance is essential, as is an end to morally repugnant violence and terror," Annan said, alluding to Palestinian suicide attacks that have killed scores of Israelis during a two-year revolt against occupation.

But he said Palestinian reform efforts must be matched by Israeli action.

Israel must let economic activity and movement resume in the occupied territories, ease or lift curfews and closures, return tax revenue it owes the Palestinian Authority and halt all settlement activity in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

Nabil Shaath, the Palestinian delegate in the talks, demanded urgent action to implement the plan.

Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres gave a guarded response, saying security problems were delaying any Israeli pullout from Palestinian cities reoccupied this year.

Jordanian Foreign Minister Marwan Muasher said Arabs hoped the quartet would complete their plan in the next few weeks.

Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher said he was glad the quartet shared many Arab views on how to reach peace, but added that the Palestinians must be free to pick their own leaders.

- REUTERS

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