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Arab Ministers Reject Israeli Border Move | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive 2005 -2017
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KHARTOUM (AFP) -Arab foreign ministers rejected Israeli plans to unilaterally demarcate its borders, saying such a move would make the establishment of an independent Palestinian state impossible.

Ministers have agreed “to reject partial solutions and unilateral Israeli measures including… the unilateral demarcation of Israel’s borders,” according to a final draft resolution agreed at a preparatory meeting for a two-day Arab summit opening Tuesday.

“This fulfills Israel’s expansionist greed and renders impossible (all plans) to establish a sovereign and independent Palestinian state,” said a copy of the draft seen by AFP.

Acting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said Sunday that Israel would set its final borders after internal debate and consultatons with the United States but without necessarily asking the opinion of the Palestinians.

“We should decide on our borders in order to separate ourselves from the Palestinians,” said Olmert, whose centrist Kadima party is the overwhelming favourite to emerge triumphant in Tuesday’s general election.

Arab ministers called on the international Middle East diplomatic quartet to “stress that any unilateral move should be within the attempts to reach comprehensive and just peace in the Middle East, based on the (2002) Arab peace initiative and the roadmap.”

The quartet — made up of the United Nations, European Union, the United States and Russia — drafted the roadmap which calls for a two-state solution to the Middle East conflict.