Clinton says US to involve Syria and Lebanon in peace talks

Sep 16, 2010, 18:13 GMT

Amman - United States Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said Thursday that the US plans to involve Syria and Lebanon in talks with Israel, in a bid to reach the 'comprehensive' Middle East peace enshrined in the 2002 Arab peace initiative.

Adopted at an Arab summit in Beirut, the document offered Israel recognition by all Arab states if the country pulls out from all the Arab territories it seized in the 1967 Middle East War, including East Jerusalem.

US Middle East envoy 'George Mitchell is on his way for consultations in Damascus and Beirut,' Clinton said during a joint press conference with Jordanian Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh, following her talks with King Abdullah II over a working lunch.

The two sides described the meeting as 'very productive.'

A royal court statement said Clinton briefed the monarch on the new round of direct talks between the Palestinians and Israel, including her discussions over the past three days with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

'We discussed the ongoing direct negotiations and expressed confidence that Netanyahu and Abbas are serious about peace and can take the difficult decisions to resolve core issues' within a year, Clinton said.

She also expressed confidence that the two leaders are working to achieve the two-state vision, which calls for a sovereign Palestinian state that lives in peace and security with Israel.

'Both embraced the two-state solution,' she said, adding that the Palestinian people deserve 'an independent, sovereign and viable state.'

Judeh said that Jordan was 'encouraged' by the outcome of the new round of peace talks between, as reported by Clinton.

He quoted her as saying that the two sides had started discussion on the controversial core issues - the status of Jerusalem, borders, refugees and security.