05 juillet 2009
Israel and U.S. have yet to reach compromise on settlement halt
Defense Minister Ehud Barak will meet on Monday with U.S. special Mideast envoy George Mitchell in an effort to reach a compromise on calls for an Israeli settlement freeze and to seek ways to promote regional peace. Barak and Mitchell, who met in New York last week, have still not reached an understanding on the contentious issue which has caused an unusual rift between Israel and the U.S. "Unfortunately, there are no understandings or agreements [on settlements]," Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told ministers at a Likud meeting on Sunday, when asked to elaborate on the matter. "All the reports saying we have agreed to freeze construction in the settlements are the sole responsibility of those who publish them." During his visit to London this week, Barak will also meet with British Foreign Secretary David Miliband. The aim of this round of talks aimed at narrowing a rift with U.S. President Barack Obama, whose administration has demanded a halt to settlement activity. The defense minister told reporters on Sunday he was aiming for a "broader understanding with the United States on diplomatic moves, including a comprehensive regional agreement". Barak said Israel was also seeking "a way to translate" the 2003 road map peace plan into "a path acceptable to us, the United States and others". After last meeting Mitchell, Barak made a link between any Israeli agreement to limit settlement expansion and progress on Arab states "normalizing" relations with Israel. Barak has publicly raised the possibility Israel might temporarily refrain from starting new building projects - while continuing many under way - in settlements in return for initial steps towards a regional peace agreement. (20,40)