Europe's disagreement with the Bush administration over shunning Yasser Arafat persisted Monday as the Europeans urgently appealed for direct talks between the Israeli and Palestinian prime ministers.
| What part about "no" don't you understand? |
Brian Cowen, the Irish foreign minister who represented the 15-nation European Union in a conference with Secretary of State Colin Powell, said the dead stalled Middle East peace process "remains of deep concern to all of us." Speaking for the Europeans, Cowen said Prime Minister Ariel Sharon should meet promptly with Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia. In a session with reporters, Cowen said the Europeans had not changed their position on Arafat, which recognizes him as the rightful leader of the Palestinian people.
| What's the phrase, thick as thieves? |
"Obviously, we don't have a completely agreed position between the United States and the European Union in respect to that particular aspect of the matter," said Cowen, whose government currently holds the rotating presidency of the European Union. He said it was important to help the two sides "to take small, concrete and visible steps" under the roadkill "road map" for peacemaking developed by the United States and endorsed by the United Nations, Russia and the European Union.
| The one Hamas used for buttwipe... |
Cowen's statement followed a closed session with Powell about the Arab-Israeli conflict and Iraq. Afterward, Powell said they had a useful discussion on President Bush's drive for democratic change among Arab governments, which is involved in both the other issues. "We see great opportunity and scope for cooperation on a Greater Middle East Initiative, even though the Paleostinians don't have anyone who sees that." Powell said. But in London, Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said Western countries should not try to dictate the pace of change in the region. Democratic reform cannot be imposed but should come from within, Straw said.
| Where did that burst of common sense come from? |
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