RAMALLAH, August 3 (JMCC) - US Middle East envoy George Mitchell is on his way to the region in coming days, reports Voice of America. He is expected to participate in a trilateral meeting that will set parameters for possible direct talks.
The visit comes on the heels of a letter from Washington to Palestinians widely believed to have threatened Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas with a downgrade of relations if he does not go to direct negotiations.
At a news briefing, State Department Spokesman P.J. Crowley refused to discuss the contents of the U.S. message but at the same time saying the Palestinians have much to lose if the current opportunity is lost.
Absent a direct negotiation, there will be no end to the conflict, there will be no peace agreement, and there will be no Palestinian state, said P.J. Crowley. That's a fact. We understand the recent history and the difficulty in reaching this moment. We've worked hard to help each side understand what the other needs. We believe strongly that this is the right time to enter direct negotiations. That's the argument that we're making to both sides.
A senior official who spoke to reporters here said United States would support a Palestinian proposal for a three-way meeting next week that would set the parameters for direct negotiations.
Reports from the region say the participants in the trilateral would be U.S. envoy Mitchell, Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat, and Israeli envoy Isaac Molho.
Read the story at Voice of America...