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Arab League SecGen Slams US ‘Performance’ in Re-Launching Direct Peace Negotiations | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive 2005 -2017
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Paris, Asharq Al-Awsat- Arab League Secretary General Amr Musa has disclosed that the United States “has asked for more time to complete its efforts” to re-launch the direct peace negotiations between the Palestinians and Israel but he clearly criticized the American “performance” and the successive delays and new time extensions saying the end of this year should be the “final extension” for knowing where the US move will end.

Musa made his statements to Asharq Al-Awsat during his visit to the French capital where he participated in the French-Arab Chamber of Commerce forum the day before yesterday. He held several official meetings with Ambassador Jean-David Levitte, the president of the republic’s political adviser, and his special adviser Henri Guaino. He also held a long meeting with the newly-appointed Foreign Minister Michelle Alliot-Marie and delivered at night a lecture on the Arab world’s challenges at the International Diplomacy Academy.

Regarding the leaks about the “deal” which the Americans and Israelis are seeking to conclude in order for Israel to return to the negotiating table and a partial freeze of settlement activity, Musa said “the picture is vague and neither we nor the Palestinians have adequate and enough information about it.” But he voiced his observations about the US performance saying the US role “should be productive and not move within vacuum or closed circles.” Explaining the word “productive”, he said “it should be balanced between the two sides and not be with the (Israeli) side at the expense of the other party’s political rights.”

Musa denounced vehemently what Washington is offering the Israeli side saying “it is offering Israel strategic commitments in return for something temporary, tactical, and incomplete, particularly what appears to be a reward for an illegal activity, the settlements.” He then asked: “Can the violation of international law be rewarded in this way?”