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Livni: I didn't make same mistakes Barak did at Camp David By Haaretz Correspondent and Reuters , By Barak Ravid Israel and the Palestinian Authority presented the Quartet for Middle East peace with several agreements yesterday on the way negotiations will proceed next year on the conflict's core issues. Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, who updated the Quartet at Sharm el-Sheikh with PA President Mahmoud Abbas, said she was convinced she has not repeated the mistakes of Camp David in 2000. She said although no deal was reached this year, both sides are determined to continue talks. Advertisement Livni and Abbas stressed "the need for continuous, uninterrupted, direct bilateral negotiations." They asked the international community to support the parties' efforts in the framework of the Annapolis process, the Quartet said in a statement read by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon. "The Quartet emphasized the importance of continuity of the peace process," Ban said. Livni also called on the Quartet - comprised of the United States, United Nations, European Union and Russia - to let Israel and the Palestinians handle matters on their own. Both parties realize they're on the same side and that the Israelis and Palestinians know best which steps are appropriate and when to implement them, Livni said. Livni decided several months ago that it would be impossible to reach a detailed agreement with the Palestinians this year because neither side was ready and major gaps remain on the core issues. She also thinks the alternative - a partial agreement or agreement in principle - is worse because it will not actually end the conflict. That's why she opposed Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's proposal to Abbas, which included a resolution of the border issue and a partial solution of the refugee issue. The question of Jerusalem was deferred. Livni was concerned that if Israel and the Palestinians did not reach an agreement, the Annapolis process would fail and talks would come to a standstill, which would put pressure on Israel or spark violent clashes. She was haunted by the results of the 2000 Camp David summit, whose failure was followed by the second intifada. Over the past three months, Livni and her Palestinian counterpart, Ahmed Qureia, have been working to figure out how to make the transition from the 2008 negotiations to talks in 2009. Both sides have agreed that there is nothing to be gained by a partial deal and that the international community must be convinced that the process is progressing and that they should allow it to move forward without pressure or foreign initiatives. Israel and the Palestinians scored a victory when they convinced U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to withdraw her request that they present a document summarizing the negotiation achievements at the UN General Assembly in September. Bookmark to del.icio.us   No light at the end Amira Hass / Powerless in Gaza, residents rely on the tunnels. Offensive strikes Report: U.S. secretly attacked dozens of Mideast targets since 2004.

Read & React Livni: I'm not repeating mistakes of Camp David Responses: 67 Bradley Burston: Obama, and the first Arab prime minister of Israel Responses: 160 Editorial: Israel should listen to Hamas Responses: 71 Olmert: To honor Rabin, Israel must cede land Responses: 139 Report: U.S. secretly attacked dozens of Mideast targets since 2004 Responses: 39 More Headlines 00:42 Report: IAEA finds traces of uranium at suspected Syrian nuclear site 22:54 Israel to resume minimal fuel shipments to Gaza 00:03 Olmert: To honor Rabin, Israel must cede land 00:30 Olmert speech urging settlers to prepare for withdrawal sparks outrage 15:12 Likud Chief Netanyahu: If elected, I'll continue peace talks 23:18 U.S. Jewish group to Mormons: Stop baptizing Holocaust victims 01:21 'Foreign forces may be deployed after Israel withdraws' 01:00 2,000-year-old gold earring found beneath Jerusalem parking lot 19:40 Holocaust education taskforce teams up with Council of Europe to fight anti-Semitism 20:12 Jewish group: Synagogue in Hungary vandalized on eve of Kristallnacht anniversary 23:54 Amira Hass / Powerless in Gaza, residents rely on the tunnels 12:29 IDF: Army may need to respond to fresh terror alerts from Gaza 20:13 Report: U.S. secretly attacked dozens of Mideast targets since 2004 18:52 Female teacher suspected of having sex with 17-year-old student Previous Editions Select Day 10 nov 09 nov 07 nov 06 nov 05 nov 04 nov 03 nov 02 nov 31 oct 30 oct 29 oct 28 oct

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