Bush: Mideast peace accord needs painful political concessions

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Source: CCTV.com | 01-11-2008 09:39

US President George W. Bush, summing up meetings with both sides in the Israeli-Palestinian dispute, says it is the time for both their leaders to make difficult choices.

United States President George W. Bush (L) speaks while Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas looks on during  their joint news conference held in the West Bank town  of Ramallah, Jan. 10, 2008. Bush said that he believes  an Israeli-Palestinian peace treaty will be signed before  he leaves office early next year.(Xinhua Photo)

President Bush met with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and said a peace accord will require painful political concessions by both sides.

He expects both Israelis and Palestinians to honor their obligations under the road map peace plan.

The issue of Israeli settlements, the fate of Jerusalem and the right of return for Palestinian refugees have been at the heart of the peace talks.

Bush says a future Palestinian state should be viable, contiguous and sovereign.

Over the Palestinian refugee issue, Bush proposed "new international mechanisms" to solve it. But he didn't elaborate about these mechanisms.

Bush also stressed the Jewish state must stop expanding settlements and remove illegal outposts.

He didn't offer any specifics to resolve the conflicting claims to Jerusalem, but has urged both sides to work toward a solution.

George W. Bush, US President, said, "Neither party should undertake any activity that contravenes roadmap activities or prejudices the final status negotiations. On the Israeli side that includes ending settlement expansion and removing unauthorized outposts. On the Palestinian side that includes confronting terrorists and dismantling terrorist infrastructure."

Bush predicts a Mideast peace treaty will be completed by the time he leaves office in January 2009.

Meanwhile Abbas has called on Israel to fulfill its commitments to a Mideast peace plan.

Editor:Zhang Pengfei