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The Bush-Sharon Press Conference

(White House) President Bush said: "The United States and the State of Israel have a deep and lasting friendship based on our shared values and aspirations for a peaceful world. The United States is committed to Israel's security and well being as a Jewish state, including secure and defensible borders. We're committed to preserving and strengthening Israel's capability to deter its enemies and to defend itself." "We are cooperating with the Palestinians to help them fulfill all their obligations under the road map, especially sustained, effective operations to stop terrorism and dismantle terrorist capabilities and infrastructure. Building true security for Israelis and Palestinians demands an immediate, strong and sustained effort to combat terrorism in all its forms." "I told the Prime Minister of my concern that Israel not undertake any activity that contravenes road map obligations or prejudice final status negotiations. Therefore, Israel should remove unauthorized outposts and meet its road map obligations regarding settlements in the West Bank." "As I said last April, new realities on the ground make it unrealistic to expect that the outcome of final status negotiations will be a full and complete return to the armistice lines of 1949. It is realistic to expect that any final status agreement will be achieved only on the basis of mutually agreed changes that reflect these realities. That's the American view. While the United States will not prejudice the outcome of final status negotiations, those changes on the ground, including existing major Israeli population centers, must be taken into account in any final status negotiations." In response to a question, President Bush added: "Israel has obligations under the road map. The road map clearly says no expansion of settlements." Prime Minister Sharon responded: "The people of Israel dream of a peaceful life for themselves and for all the peoples of the Middle East....We call upon our Palestinian neighbors to choose the path of democracy and law and order, so that they can establish an independent and viable state." "The ongoing violence and terror must not prevail. We should all make a commitment not to accept any temporary solutions regarding terror, but to act decisively to dismantle terrorist infrastructure and to eliminate terrorism once and for all. Defeating terror is the only way to build peace." "It is not in our interest to govern over the Palestinians. We would like the Palestinians to govern themselves in their own state, a democratic state with territorial contiguity in Judea and Samaria, living side by side with Israel in peace and security." "The position of Israel is that in any final status agreement the major Israeli population centers in Judea and Samaria will be part of the State of the Israel." In response to questions, Prime Minister Sharon added: "Only after the Palestinians fulfill their obligations, primarily a real fight against terrorism and the dismantling of its infrastructure, can we proceed toward negotiations based on the road map." "Ma'ale Adumim is one of the blocs of Jewish population, and our position is that...it will be part of Israel. And of course, we are very much interested that there will be contiguity between Ma'ale Adumim and Jerusalem, but...we are too early because everything [that] happens there...might take many years."
2005-04-12 00:00:00
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