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U.S. Talks with Palestinian Officials to Resume
(Washington Post) - "We will expand dialogue between the United States and the Palestinians," President Bush said Thursday. Part of this diplomatic offensive will include a meeting between national security adviser Condoleezza Rice and Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei planned for next week in Europe. The decision to reopen high-level contacts with Palestinian officials - after months of shunning them - followed mounting pressure from Arabs after Bush last month offered written assurances to Israel on key land and refugee issues in a final peace deal. The decision to begin talking to the Palestinians appeared to mark an abrupt change in administration tactics. Privately, Bush is said to be firmly convinced that he did the right thing in backing the Sharon plan, despite its defeat in the Likud referendum. Israeli officials say Sharon is committed to the plan and is determined to find another way to win its approval.