As it ramps up efforts to get Israel-Palestinian peace talks restarted, the Obama administration is considering sending letters to the Middle East parties, diplomatic sources tell POLITICO.
The letters the Obama administration is considering giving to the Middle East parties outline what the U.S. expects from Israel-Palestinian peace talks, a diplomat source said.
The letters, signed by President Obama, describe terms of reference that serve as the basis for negotiations moving forward, another source who declined to be identified said.
“They would more clearly outline what the final status issues are, … what the issues to solve are, this is how we foresee the talks proceeding,” the diplomatic source said.
The administration did not immediately respond to queries about the letters.
Sources suggest the letters exist but there had not yet been a decision on whether to issue them. Also unclear is which parties beyond the Israelis and Palestinians, including Arab states, might receive the Obama letters.
Word of the letters under consideration comes as the National Security Council held a rare Saturday morning Deputies Committee meeting on the Middle East peace process.
It also comes as National Security Advisor Jim Jones heads to Israel, the Palestinian Authority and Saudi Arabia this week, to discuss the peace process among other issues. Jones will meet with “key leaders,” National Security Council spokesman Mike Hammer said in a statement Monday. “During his trip, General Jones will discuss the full range of regional challenges and opportunities at this critical time in the Middle East.”
(Jones delivered a letter from Obama to the Pakistani president when he traveled there in November, reports after his trip said.)
Middle East peace envoy George Mitchell arrives in Brussels Tuesday to give an update to European Union political and security committee officials on U.S. efforts to get peace talks re-launched. Mitchell then heads on to other meetings in Europe, before returning to Washington. He heads to the Middle East later this month.
In an interview last week with Charlie Rose, Mitchell said that the Obama administration believes that Israel-Palestinian final status negotiations should last no more than two years. “Once begun, we think it can be done within that period of time," Mitchell tells Rose. "We hope the parties agree. Personally, I think it can be done in a shorter period of time.”
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton echoed the brisk time table the US envisions for peace talks in remarks with the Jordanian Foreign Minister Friday. Clinton also met with the Egyptian Foreign Minister and intelligence chief Friday, to discuss efforts to get peace talks relaunched.
Late last spring, Obama sent letters to Arab states to encourage them to offer confidence building measures to Israel to help facilitate the Middle East peace process.
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