BRITAIN: The British Prime Minister, Mr Tony Blair, is pressing ahead with his plans for a meeting in London next week between Palestinian representatives and international mediators, despite opposition from Israel.
Britain yesterday urged Israel to allow London talks with Palestinians on Middle East peace and reforms to go ahead, but a senior Israeli official said he saw no point in the meeting.
On Monday, Israeli Prime Minister Mr Ariel Sharon barred Palestinians from attending the talks, after twin suicide bombings killed 22 people in Tel Aviv on Sunday.
The move sparked a diplomatic row with Britain. Mr Blair's spokesman said Britain was pressing ahead with plans to host the talks on January 14th nonetheless. In his speech to a gathering of British ambassadors yesterday, Mr Blair stressed that commitment to Middle East peace was essential to winning support for a US-led drive to disarm Iraqi leader President Saddam Hussein of suspected weapons of mass destruction.
"The Middle East peace process remains essential to any understanding with the Muslim and Arab world," Mr Blair said.
His spokesman said the premier had sent a letter to Mr Sharon "explaining the context of the meeting we are proposing".
But Israel's ambassador to London, Mr Zvi Shtauber, told BBC radio there was no point to talks while Palestinian leader Mr Yasser Arafat remained in power.
"That is our position, that is the United States's position," Mr Shtauber said. "I don't precisely recall that we have achieved anything while Arafat is in power.
"It is not constructive that Yasser Arafat should nominate the people who should deal with reforms in the government of Yasser Arafat."
Mr Shtauber said Israel's travel ban on the Palestinians should not be taken as a move against Britain. Israel had not been consulted over nor invited to the London talks but maintained "very good" relations with Britain despite their differences.
Palestinian reforms are demanded by Washington as a condition for statehood.
Mr Blair's spokesman said: "We continue to make preparations for the meeting. We are in contact with the Israeli government at the highest level and we continue to believe that it [the meeting\] is necessary."
On Monday, Israel released transcripts of a testy telephone call between British Foreign Secretary Mr Jack Straw and Israel's Foreign Minister Mr Benjamin Netanyahu. Both men were quoted as accusing each other's government of creating a situation not conducive to peace. - (Reuters)