US delegation expected in region to discuss Mideast peace push — FM

AMMAN — A US delegation is expected to visit the region and discuss resuming peace talks related to the Palestinian issue, Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi announced on Sunday.

The remark came during a joint press conference that followed the second round of the tripartite consultations with his Egyptian and Palestinian Counterparts Sameh Shoukry and Riyad Maliki, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. 

He did not give further details on the makeup of the delegation or its agenda. 

During the presser, Safadi expressed appreciation for the US administration's commitment to making peace between the Palestinians and the Israelis.

He reiterated that the Palestinian cause is the region’s core issue and solving it is a basic requirement to achieve peace, stability and security in the region.

The solution should include preserving the rights of the Palestinian people and establishing their state with East Jerusalem as its capital and within the 1967 lines, said Safadi.

"Peace, as an Arab strategic option, has to be accepted by people and to be accepted, it has to address the basic rights of Palestinians including freedom and a state that lives peacefully side by side with Israel," Safadi said.

Until the solution is reached by immediate, serious and effective negotiations, Israel must stop its unilateral measures that attempt to impose new status, which would undermine efforts to establish a liveable Palestinian state, stressed Safadi.

For his part, Shoukry said that the meeting came as part of joint endeavours to end occupation, establish a Palestinian state and protect the legitimate rights of the Palestinians.

During the conference, Shoukry read the final communiqué of the meeting.

The communiqué stressed the importance of resuming the peace process between the Palestinians and the Israelis within a clear timeframe to end occupation and reach a comprehensive agreement that addresses all related issues in accordance with the international legitimacy and the Arab Peace Initiative, which was endorsed during the 2002 Arab summit.

In the communiqué, the ministers stressed the importance of the Israeli commitment to respecting the legal and historical status quo at Al Aqsa Mosque/Al Haram Al Sharif, and halting all unilateral measures that aim to change the Muslim and Christian identity of East Jerusalem. 

The ministers called upon the international community to intensify efforts to resume the peace process and help the two sides reach an agreement based on the two-state solution.

They stressed the need to accomplish the Palestinian reconciliation to invest all efforts in realising independence.