Last update - 00:00 07/02/2007
Beckett: Boycott will remain if PA gov't includes unreformed Hamas
By Haaretz Staff
British Foreign Minister Margaret Beckett said Wednesday that even if Palestinian rivals Hamas and Fatah patch up their differences and form a coalition, London will shun the resulting government as long as Hamas defies international demands to recognize Israel and foreswear violence.
Hamas leaders began talks in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday with Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas and leaders of his Fatah movement. The aim is to forge a power-sharing government and end bloody street battles between the two sides' supporters in Gaza.
Beckett, on a two-day visit to Israel and the Palestinian Authority, told Army Radio that even with Fatah as a partner, a new Palestinian government would have to subscribe to the demands of the so-called Quartet of international peacemakers - the United States, the United Nations, Russia and the European Union.
"We have said consistently from the beginning that we believe that any government should be based on the Quartet principles," she said. "If nothing new changes from the position there's been hitherto, I'm afraid the position will stay the same."
The international community imposed sanctions on the Palestinian government in the wake of the Hamas parliamentary victory in January 2006, due to the militant group's refusal to renounce violence, recognize Israel or abide by previous interim peace deals, leaving the government bankrupt.
Prime Minister Ehud Olmert met with Beckett in Jerusalem on Wednesday, to discuss restarting the Middle East peace process, as well as a range of bilateral affairs.
Following the meeting, Beckett expressed optimism that the region could be approaching a turning point in terms of advancing the peace process, saying her conversations with Olmert and senior Palestinian officials "confirmed a feeling I had that we could potentially be at a turning point."
Beckett said that British Prime Minister Tony Blair "would love it if it were possible to move things forward. He sees that there is potentially a real opportunity and he also sees that if that opportunity goes by it may not come again or maybe ever."
After meeting Olmert, Beckett said Israel was aware "both that dangers of the position in which they find themselves are greater now than they've been for some time and that there is this potential opportunity."
Beckett arrived in Israel on Monday evening to gauge the prospects for reviving peace talks, saying she was optimistic despite persistent Palestinian factional warfare.
"I am very much focused on what the practical steps are that can be taken to help move forward and whether there is more that we, the U.K. and European Union could be doing," Beckett said, on her first visit to Israel since replacing Jack Straw in May 2006.
"It's always a difficult time... but the underlying reality that it is to the benefit of all that there should be peace is recognized - however unwillingly - by all the major players."
Beckett met Tuesday with Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, Defense Minister Amir Peretz and other senior officials.
She is also set to hold talks with Abbas during her visit. She will be pushing hard for the revival of the internationally brokered road map, she said, but will not break from the international policy of boycotting Hamas, which controls the Palestinian parliament.
"To govern one has to shoulder responsibilities and while they are not prepared to shoulder the responsibilities that come with government, the international community will take the view that they cannot deal directly with Hamas," Beckett said.
Beckett was also scheduled to visit the Yad Vashem Holocaust museum and the Old City of Jerusalem.