Israeli diplomat awaiting decision on two-state solution (Extra)

Apr 1, 2009, 17:24 GMT

Geneva - Israel's chief diplomat in Geneva said Wednesday he was awaiting instructions from his new government before making statements regarding a two-state solution to the Middle East peace process.

'This government is committed to all previous agreements that all previous governments were committed to,' said Aharon Leshno-Yaar, specifically mentioning the 'road map' of former US President George W Bush.

Last month, during the session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, he consistently reiterated his now previous government's desire to reach a two-state solution, one being Israel as a Jewish State and the other a Palestinian state, based on peace and security.

However, since the formation of a government Tuesday in Jerusalem led by Benjamin Netanyahu of the hawkish Likud party as prime minister and the hardline Avigdor Leiberman as foreign minister, Leshno Yaar was awaiting instructions from the new leaders.

Netanyahu in his first address to the Knesset said he wanted a comprehensive peace with the Palestinians but avoided mentioning a Palestinian state. The left-of-centre Labour party also joined the coalition government.

The election of Netanyahu has raised fears that Israel will now adopt a harder line in talks, or not follow up on previous negotiations, such as the Annapolis process, the basis on which the former government of Ehud Olmert entered into new peace talks with the Palestinians.

Leshno Yaar added that the government, less than a day old, was being criticized before it 'was being given a chance to say anything' and formulate its full doctrine.

Lieberman said in a speech at the foreign ministry in Jerusalem as he assumed his ministerial duties that Israel would be bound by the 'road map' peace plan, a performance-based initiative from 2003.

He added that the Israeli government and parliament had never ratified the statement from the Annapolis conference in 2007, in which Israel and the Palestinian Authority agreed to 'immediately launch good faith bilateral negotiations in order to conclude a peace treaty resolving all outstanding issues...'

It was unclear if Lieberman was reflecting an official government position.

Palestinian officials, including President Mahmoud Abbas, have called on the new government to officially adopt the position of a two-state solution as the basis for a peace deal.