Region | Palestinian Territories
Cheney stresses need for 'painful concessions' at Abbas meeting
Cheney said on Sunday an Israeli-Palestinian peace agreement will require "painful concessions" by both sides, but said with hard work "success will be achieved".
- Agencies
- Published: 18:41 March 23, 2008
West Bank: US Vice President Dick Cheney arrived in the West Bank via helicopter to hold talks with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Prime Minister Salam Fayyad on Sunday.
At the meeting, Cheney said an Israeli-Palestinian peace agreement will require "painful concessions" by both sides, but said with hard work "success will be achieved".
After meeting the moderate leader in the West Bank on Sunday Cheney strongly criticised Islamic militant group Hamas.
He added that the US remains "strongly committed" to the establishment of Palestinian state, adding that its achievement will require strong negotiations and concessions from both sides.
“It will also require a determination to defeat those who are committed to violence and who refuse to accept the basic right of the other side to exist," Cheney continued, referring to Hamas, which seized the Gaza Strip last June.
Referring to Hamas' continuous rocket barrages targeting Israeli towns, Cheney said: "Terror and rockets do not merely kill innocent civilians. They also kill the legitimate hopes and aspirations of the Palestinian people".
He also reaffirmed President George W Bush's promise that a Palestinian state was "long overdue," promising U.S assistance towards that goal, and stressing that it is achievable. ]
Abbas asked Cheney to help restrain Israeli settlement expansion and military operations targeting militants, according to an Abbas aide.
At the press conference, Abbas thanked Cheney for U.S. support, but also criticised Israel's settlements and checkpoints in an implied jab at the US, which strongly supports Israel.
Abbas added that in order to reach peace "what is required is will, courage and strong support from the international community, especially the US''.
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