Netanyahu says Middle East progress will "surprise world" (Roundup)

Aug 25, 2009, 15:56 GMT

   London - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said at the start of a crucial round of diplomatic talks in Europe Tuesday that progress in the Middle East peace process would 'confound cynics and surprise the world.'

   Speaking in London after a meeting with Prime Minister Gordon Brown, Netanyahu said he had outlined what he called the 'winning formula' for Middle East peace.

   'We need a demilitarized Palestinian state that recognizes Israel,' Netanyahu told reporters after the one-hour meeting. 'Recognition is the pillar of peace.'

   Brown said the talks had been 'as realistic as ever but more optimistic' than in the past. Britain was giving its full support to the 'strategy' of US President Barack Obama to promote the peace process, said Brown, who called for an 'economic roadmap to underpin the political dialogue.'

   Brown stressed that the government in London regarded the continued and controversial Israeli settlements in occupied Palestinian territories as a 'barrier to peace.'

   The two leaders also discussed Iran's nuclear ambitions and condemned recent outspoken attacks on Israel by the leadership in Tehran.

   'Such diatribe has no place in the civilized world,' said Brown.

   Netanyahu, who is due to meet George Mitchell, Obama's Middle East envoy, in London on Wednesday, stressed that progress had already been made in the peace process.

   'We hope to move forward in the next months and weeks,' said the Israeli leader.

    'With the help of our friends in the US, Britain and elsewhere we can achieve progress that will confound the cynics and surprise the world,' he added.

   He urged the Palestinian leadership to move forward in a 'courageous' way and tell their people: 'It's over, there is going to be real, final peace.'  

  On the vexed issue of Israeli settlements, Netanyahu said he hoped to find a 'bridging formula' that would enable residents already living there to lead a 'normal life.'

   Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad urged European leaders Tuesday to urge Israel to stop building homes on occupied land.

   'What we're dealing with here are prerequisites to success. We're dealing with issues that do not exceed doing what is minimal in order for the process to begin to make sense,' he said in a BBC interview.

   'All we're discussing is to stop settlement activity, to prevent a bad situation from getting worse.'