Powell urges Mideast foes to enable Palestinian vote

1.00pm

JERUSALEM - US Secretary of State Colin Powell has launched a new Middle East peace drive by saying he would press both Israeli and Palestinian leaders for steps to help Palestinians elect a successor to Yasser Arafat.

US officials suggested before Powell's first trip to the region in 18 months that he would push Israel to pull back forces from West Bank cities and Palestinian officials to restrain militant groups to foster free movement and calm conducive to voting.

But in remarks likely to disappoint Palestinians, Powell said the two sides should work to create a Palestinian state on occupied land as soon as possible but without a 2005 deadline as Palestinians demand, citing a tattered US-backed peace plan.

US President George W. Bush has pledged to capitalise on what he called new opportunities for peace after the death of Arafat, accused by Washington and Israel of inciting violence.

But no talks based on Bush's "road map" can happen before a new Palestinian president is elected on Jan. 9. Diplomats count on a moderate to succeed Arafat but whoever wins may need time to unite a public fractured by militant factions.

Powell was upbeat as he flew in for a visit of just under 24 hours in which he was to meet Israeli leaders in Jerusalem and Palestinians in the West Bank town of Jericho, both on Monday.

"This is a moment of opportunity ... The big step ahead of us now is to assist the Palestinian people getting ready for the election," he told reporters aboard his plane.

"In my conversations with both sides, I'll be encouraging them to do everything they can to make sure this election comes off and that the maximum number of Palestinians get the opportunity to participate.

"Perhaps the things that we do or that they do will encourage a degree of cooperation that can spread into other areas," said Powell, who announced his resignation last week. His designated successor, national security adviser Condoleezza Rice, is likely to take over early next year.

PALESTINIANS WANT PULLBACK A MONTH BEFORE VOTE

Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qurie said he would ask Powell to help bring about an Israeli redeployment away from West Bank urban areas one month before the vote.

"If elections are held under occupation, people will say the candidate rode in on top of an Israeli tank," Qurie said, reflecting the fear of pro-negotiations moderates being branded subservient to Israel by hardline factions.

"If there is a formal request (for redeployment) we will deal with it," a senior Israeli official said. "It would be brought to the cabinet which would consult security services."

Powell, who was to meet Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom on Monday, said he had the clear impression Israel wanted to be helpful.

He was expected to meet Palestine Liberation Organisation chief Mahmoud Abbas, tipped as the frontrunner to succeed Arafat, Qurie and perhaps acting President Rawhi Fattouh.

Powell said he would probe how much sway a group of veteran moderates who have provisionally replaced the autocratic Arafat could exert on a younger militant generation to suspend attacks on Israelis in a four-year-old revolt.

Palestinians' demand on Israel to release Marwan Barghouthi, a popular Palestinian uprising leader and potential presidential candidate, from jail was likely to come up in meetings, Powell said. Israel has ruled out freeing Barghouthi.

Palestinian leaders wanted Powell to reaffirm Bush's goal, part of the "road map" plan launched in mid-2003 but derailed by more violence, of Palestinian statehood by the end of 2005.

But Powell told reporters: "It (peace effort) will be event-driven and progress-driven, and that is what we really need to focus on, not a particular date."

Qurie told Reuters in Ramallah that the Palestinians would press Powell for specifics. "We want to know how the road map will be implemented, what are the timelines."

British and Russian foreign ministers Jack Straw and Sergei Lavrov are due in the region later this week to keep up the new diplomatic momentum.

Sharon has held out the prospect of talks with Palestinian leaders if they end what he terms anti-Israeli incitement as a first stage, and then crack down on militant groups.

- REUTERS