Ashton in advance of the visit: no alternative to a negotiated agreement - Jerusalem Post

  
Photo: ASSOCIATED PRESS staff JPOST.COM and HERB KEINON
01/05/2011 10: 28 Replicas (6) European union foreign policy Chief Catherine Ashton said Tuesday that there is "no alternative to a negotiated agreement" in advance of his trip to Israel Wednesday night.

"Urgent progress are now necessary for lasting peace for Israelis and Palestinians and the European Union will continue to support all efforts to this goal," said Ashton.

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"Is there no alternative to a negotiated solution." We want to see the status of Israel and a sovereign and viable State of Palestine living side by side in peace and security, "she continues."

Ashton is expected to reach Jerusalem Wednesday for meetings with Israeli leaders followed by meetings in Ramallah Thursday with the leaders of the Palestinian Authority.

Visit expected Ashton comes after diplomatic activity has begun a new Tuesday with a meeting in Jerusalem between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Quartet Envoy Tony Blair. The meeting after an international week of involvement in the diplomatic process more than by the holidays of Christmas and new year hiatus.

Thursday, Netanyahu is expected to go to Sharm Sheikh e for a meeting with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak on how the current diplomatic stalemate. Netanyahu will be accompanied during this visit by industry, commerce and Binyamin Ben-Eliezer, Minister of labour, which is considered as having good relationship with the Egyptians. Ben - Eliezer, a Minister of the Labour Party threatened earlier this week that his party had resigned the Government within two months in the absence of any diplomatic process significantly.

White House counsel Chief Dennis Ross is supposed to arrive for further discussion in the next few days. Ross's last here two weeks ago.