Arab ministerial source: these are the conditions to respond to the demands
of Washington normalization

Orientation and understanding of Arab refusal is not based on principles of
voluntary, individual
Paris: Michel Abu Najm Asharq Al-Awsat 29 July 2009
[Based on a Google translation]
www.aawsat.com/details.asp?section=4&issueno=11201&article=529610&state=true

American special envoy for the Middle East George Mitchell once again asked
the Arab States to take measures to partial normalization of relations with
Israel in order to facilitate the launching of peace negotiations on all the
Arab-Israeli tracks, and diplomatic sources informed Asharq Al-Awsat of the
existence of reservations in the Gulf and Arab response to Mitchell, because
of U.S. insistence on the steps it considers the claim of these countries
«early» and «no reason to do at the present time».

Quoted sources briefed on the contents of the Mitchell talks to the Arab
side said the they informed the U.S. envoy of their reservations with an
emphasis on the core of the Arab initiative, which says comprehensive peace
in return for full relations with Israel, no normalization. However,
Mitchell defended the demand by focusing on two fundamental principles: the
first says that the call for the «purpose of assisting the U.S. president»
in the confrontation with the Israeli government to fight right-wing and,
therefore, be on the Arab countries if it wants to capitalize on the
momentum shown by the diplomat, the U.S. administration «not stand
idle »and« to take action »in order to see that Washington« not only put
pressure on Israel »which is the pretext hiding behind supporters of Israel
in the United States in the fight against President Obama.

The second argument that Mitchell made regarding the Arab initiative, which
Washington considers a framework and reference for peace is that it
«remained after seven years of its launch it as an empty structure, and
therefore it is time to activate it and give it practical substance».

A senior Arab official who was in Paris...the response to Washington is
«non-rejection», but linked to an Israeli response to a range of conditions
that are meant to ensure that the Arabs should not make normalization steps
«gratis» or as «a reward for Israel's intransigence» or «lure Arab
additional concessions».

But what «conditions» that claimed by the Arabs?

Arabs want to be assured that this is the beginning of «serious» and
effectiveness of U.S. efforts and its ability to influence the approach of
the current Israeli government, especially the issue of settlements. The
Arabs also want to know what the U.S. plan is, and imagine the final
solution and the mechanism that govern it, and time limits that are
committed by Washington for achieving the objectives of the plan «because we
are no longer willing to negotiate dozens of years».

... the Arab side wants thei steps to come after freezing, and not in
anticipation, and after ascertaining the credibility that Israel will reach
a settlement based on the principle of two states. In addition, the Arabs
will ask that Israel cary out «additional steps», including reutrning the
situation in the West Bank to what it was before the second intifada.

...

There are two additional principles: first, it is «voluntary», or that any
one of the Arab countries want to respond to Washington and to take steps
toward Israel is «free» to do so but not required to. Associated with this
principle, the principle of «individual», meaning that it will not come from
the Arab League, for example, in calls for a collective decision to
normalize relations with Israel, but will bear the responsibilities of each
country itself, the Arabs will not go to the normalization with Israel
before the achievement of an overall peace in the region. In the issue of
the time, the Arab side is not required by Washington to settle the specific
date, but wants a «horizon» of reasonable time. A ministerial source told
Asharq Al-Awsat that timing that benefits the American midterm elections
could be reasonable and acceptable.