Abdullah, Mubarak to discuss Livni's new role

Abbas: We must ensure that what we've achieved will be irreversible and will be continued by all involved.

By KHALED ABU TOAMEH
Jordan abdullah 298.88 (photo credit: AP [file])
Jordan abdullah 298.88
(photo credit: AP [file])
The election of Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni as head of the Kadima Party is expected to be at the core of talks Tuesday between Jordan's King Abdullah II and Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. The two leaders are scheduled to meet in Cairo to coordinate positions in the aftermath of the latest political developments in Israel, especially the resignation of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and the possibility that he may be succeeded by Livni. A Jordanian government official in Amman said his country has been closely following the developments in Israel and was hoping that the departure of Olmert would not have a negative impact on the peace process between the Palestinians and Israel. "What is important for us is that the peace talks between the two parties continue," the official said. "We don't want to see the talks suspended because of the political developments in Israel." The official said that Abdullah was "not worried" about the election of Livni as Olmert's successor. "She has been deeply involved in the peace negotiations with the Palestinians over the past year," he noted. "At least she does not have to start from the beginning when and if she becomes prime minister. She has repeatedly voiced her commitment to the peace process." Reflecting the sense of relative optimism in Jordan over the election of Livni, columnist Saleh al-Qalab wrote in the daily Al-Rai newspaper that the Arabs have no reason to be afraid of Livni. "No matter how radical she may be, she will never be as extremist as [former Likud prime minister] Menachem Begin," Qalab said. Referring to Olmert's recent remarks that the dream of establishing the Greater Israel was over and that time was not running in Israel's favor, the prominent Jordanian columnist said: "We must not put all Israelis in the same basket. It's obvious that Livni belongs to those Israelis who are convinced that time is not in Israel's favor and that there is no choice but to recognize the reality and accept compromises." Judging from the reactions of Egyptian government officials and columnists, Livni's election does not seem to worry the Egyptians at all. According to an Egyptian diplomat, Mubarak is planning on inviting Livni to Cairo as soon as she finishes forming a new coalition. On the eve of his visit to Cairo, Abdullah phoned Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and discussed with him the latest developments surrounding Livni's election. The monarch assured Abbas that Jordan would continue to support the PA's efforts to achieve a breakthrough in the peace negotiations with Israel, a PA official in Ramallah said. The official said that Abbas briefed the king on the main points he intended to raise during his talks with US President George W. Bush next week. Abbas, who is on his way to the US, said in Dublin Monday that government changes in Israel and the United States are delaying the search for a two-state peace settlement in the Middle East. "It is a difficult time because we have a transition in the US and [in] Israel," Abbas said during a Dublin news conference alongside Irish Foreign Minister Micheal Martin. "This is why we are continuing to ensure that what we have achieved will be irreversible and will be continued by all concerned." "We have to continue exerting every possible effort to achieve the two-state solution," Abbas said, referring to the long-held hope of forging a unified Palestinian state that can live peacefully alongside Israel. Abbas's Fatah movement controls only the West Bank portion of Palestinian Authority territory following Hamas's ouster of Fatah from the Gaza Strip in a bloody rebellion last year. The United States, European Union and Israel recognize Abbas as the Palestinians' legitimate leader and have shunned Hamas, which they consider to be a terrorist organization. Martin, who visited Israel and the West Bank in July, said he was "encouraged by what seems to be the growing level of mutual understanding" between Israel and Abbas's administration. But Martin criticized Israel's continuing development of settlements in the West Bank as "particularly grave." "While we have already conveyed our concerns to the Israeli government, more needs to be done," Martin said. "We are currently examining what more the EU can do to put pressure on Israel to freeze settlements, as well as to relax restrictions on movement and access," he added. "We are still hopeful that we could reach a solution to our cause," said Abbas. "We have no other choices but to achieve a two-state solution." AP contributed to this report.