US gets one month to save Mideast peace talks

Sirte, Libya: Arab countries have given Washington a month to try to rescue Middle East peace talks, a diplomat said on Saturday after Palestinians threatened to quit the talks over Israeli colony building.

The call to "give the US administration a one-month chance to seek the resumption of negotiations, including a halt to colony building", would be made in a resolution to be adopted by the Arab League Follow-up Committee on the peace process, the diplomat said.

The committee grouping 13 Arab foreign ministers would meet again within one month "to examine the policy alternatives if the diplomatic efforts fail," the official said.

The Middle East talks are among the main topics on the agenda of the Arab Summit today and the Arab-African Summit on Monday.

His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, arrived in Sirte on Friday, leading the UAE delegation.

Earlier, Shaikh Mohammad and the delegation were seen off at Dubai airport by Shaikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai Crown Prince; Shaikh Maktoum Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai; and other shaikhs and senior officials.

Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas was in Sirte to seek the support of Arab leaders to pull out of the peace negotiations.

"The situation is negative and is not favourable to direct negotiations," Arab League chief Amr Mousa said in Sirte.

"We will listen to him [Abbas] and will discuss the situation," Mousa said, "but we are not going to tell him what he should do."

Abbas has informed US envoy George Mitchell that he will resign if colony construction is resumed, Israeli daily Haaretz reported on Saturday.

Abbas told Mitchell of his plans during their last meeting, the daily said, quoting Palestinian sources close to the Palestinian National Authority leadership.

With additional inputs by Habib Toumi, Bahrain Bureau Chief