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Sharon Clarifies Weisglass's Comments on Road Map

(Ha'aretz) Prime Minister Sharon issued a statement on Wednesday clarifying his position on the disengagement plan and on the international road map, to assuage concerns voiced following an interview with Ha'aretz by his senior adviser, Dov Weisglass. Sharon said he supports the road map, and laid the "blame for the diplomatic freeze on the Palestinians who refuse to carry out their commitments and continue along the path of terrorism, violence, and incitement." He said that "in the absence of a Palestinian partner, the government initiated the disengagement plan to bolster Israel's diplomatic standing, improve its ability to defend its citizens, and ease the suffering of the civilian population." Sharon said the plan was meant to serve "until the time at which a Palestinian partner could be found who would fulfill all the required commitments in the road map, and with whom it would be possible to hold diplomatic negotiations and move ahead toward peace." The clarifications that the Bush administration sought following publication of the interview have proved satisfactory, State Department officials said. State Department spokesman Adam Ereli said Israel informed the U.S. administration that Sharon remains committed to the road map peace plan and to President Bush's vision of a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
2004-10-08 00:00:00
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