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US vows to push Israeli-Palestinian peace process forward

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-10-28 10:06

WASHINGTON -- The United States will continue to push the talks between Israel and the Palestinians forward despite that Israel's early elections could shadow the peace process, US officials said Monday.

"From our standpoint, we're not going to get involved as to who should or who should not prevail in those elections. What we will do is remain committed to the Annapolis process," said the White House Spokeswoman Dana Perino.

"No doubt we have an uphill climb, but they have always had an uphill climb in the Middle East, the path that we set out for them is one that is one of hope," Perino told reporters at a regular press conference.

The process, launched at the US-host conference last November in Annapolis, Maryland, is aimed at hammering out a comprehensive peace treaty between Israel and the Palestinians by the end of 2008.

Similar expression was made in the same day by the US State Department.

As for the possible change triggered by Israel's early elections, State Department spokesman Sean McCormack admitted the elections would complicate the peace process, but asked "when has this process not been complicated?"

Israeli President Shimon Peres announced Monday that efforts to form a new government had failed. Following the announcement, the Israeli Knesset, or parliament, would have up to three weeks to dissolve itself and set a date for the early elections.

The date is widely expected to be scheduled for February 10, by which the caretaker government headed by Ehud Olmert would remain in power. The Kadima party Chairman Tzipi Livni, who just failed to set up a coalition, would continue act her foreign minister portfolio.

"What is important here is that you have a process," McCormack said at the press conference, adding "the process is yielding results in terms of the parties working on all the hard issues that are between them and making progress on all of those hard issues."

"You also have a process in which there's international buy-in to helping to build Palestinian institutions that will form a foundation for a future Palestinian state."

"We're still committed to the Annapolis process and its goals, . .. We are going to continue to try to push it forward, ... There's no alternative to a negotiated settlement between the Israelis and the Palestinians," said McCormack.