Middle East: Peace Negotiations

Mr. Jim Cunningham
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what her Department's policy is on the Arab League's peace plan for Israel and Palestine of 2002; and if she will make a statement.

Dr. Howells
The Arab League's re-endorsement of the 2002 Beirut Declaration at the Arab Summit in Riyadh is a welcome step. The Arab League has a key role to play in promoting reconciliation between the Israelis and Palestinians and moving forward the peace process. We support the Arab League's engagement with the parties and welcome the meetings since the re-endorsement of the Arab League Initiative.

The Arab Peace Initiative offers Israel comprehensive peace with all member states of the Arab League. In exchange, it calls on Israel to withdraw fully from all territories occupied since 1967; to agree to "a just resolution" of the refugee problem; and to accept a sovereign Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital. Any final status issues will need to be negotiated directly between the parties. The Arab Peace Initiative offers a framework to move towards these discussions.