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Source: http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull&cid=1105504412909
Israel: Talk of Negotiations Premature
(Jerusalem Post) Herb Keinon - Israel will not begin political negotiations with the PA simply because Mahmoud Abbas was elected PA chairman, Israeli officials are expected to tell visiting EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana on Thursday. Prime Minister Sharon is expected to meet Abbas within two weeks, but Israel has consistently maintained that these talks will only deal with security issues and not constitute any form of negotiation. A senior diplomatic official said Israel is bracing for requests by Solana and other European leaders to make gestures to Abbas in order to consolidate his position, but that Israel "is not in the business of 'gesture politics.' We will respond to action on the ground." Israel will urge the EU to "stay in sync" with the Israeli and U.S. position that the PA elections are an important first step on the road to democracy but are not sufficient, and that there is still a need to get rid of the armed militias and create functioning and viable democratic institutions. "We don't want the Europeans to give the Palestinians the impression that they can wriggle out of their security commitments," the official said.