|
Following are Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s remarks at the start of his meeting with US Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice:
“We are pleased to host here in Jerusalem US Secretary of State Dr. Condoleeza Rice. Dr. Rice is a friend of Israel and we want to thank you for this and for your efforts to advance the diplomatic process in the region. I would like you to convey warm regards to US President George Bush and to thank him for his personal friendship and for the US’s great support of Israel.
The state of Israel is on the threshold of an historic process. Today, one can already see the fruits of disengagement and I am certain that our diplomatic, security and economic situations will further improve as a result of the disengagement. This is a hard, even very hard, step for Israel; however, we will implement the disengagement exactly according to the decisions.
I would like to thank you, Ms. Secretary of State, for the US’s great support for the Disengagement Plan. I believe that the Plan’s successful implementation, quietly and in coordination with the Palestinians, will give momentum to the efforts to resume the diplomatic process according to the Roadmap. All of this is on condition that the Palestinians halt the terrorism, violence and incitement, dismantle the terrorist organizations, collect their weapons and implement the necessary administrative reforms.
The US has a very important role to play in promoting the processes in the Middle East and in assisting the progress of the Disengagement Plan. I want to thank the envoys who have invested considerable time and effort in moving forward the processes in our region, especially American General William Ward, who is working on security issues, and quartet envoy James Wolfensohn, who is working on economic issues. I would also like to thank Elliot Abrams and David Walsh, with whom we have a good and deep working relationship.
Israel is a peace-seeking country. After so many long years of terrorism, blood and smoke, achieving security, quiet and peace is not an easy mission. We hope that the terrorism will cease and then we – Israelis and Palestinians, assisted by the US – will be able to make progress towards achieving the hoped-for peace.”
|