Hillary discusses Middle East peace with Israel
Israel and the United States must think and act together to face the changes sweeping the Middle East, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said yesterday after meeting Israeli President Shimon Peres.
Clinton, who arrived late on Sunday after two days of talks with the new Egyptian leadership in Cairo, hailed a "moment of great change and transformation in the region," which she said should be grasped as an opportunity.
"It is a time of uncertainty but also of opportunity. It is a chance to advance our shared goals of security, stability, peace and democracy," she said in remarks to the press following talks focusing on Egypt, Syria, Iran's nuclear programme and peace efforts with the Palestinians.
"It is in moments like these that friends like us have to think together, act together," she said.
On the last leg of a 12-day, eight-nation tour, Clinton met early yesterday with her Israeli counterpart Avigdor Lieberman before meeting Peres, briefing both on her talks in Cairo with newly-elected President Mohamed Morsi and military leader Field Marshall Hussein Tantawi.
Peres thanked Clinton for her efforts to shore up the peace between Israel and the new Egyptian leadership.
"We appreciate very much that immediately after Egypt, you came to us with your latest impression because for us, as well as for the United States, Egypt is a key country in the Middle East and much depends on Egypt and a little bit on us as well, to continue the great march of peace," he said.
"Israel is very much interested in keeping the peace with the largest Arab country."
Ahead of her arrival, a top State Department official said Washington's top diplomat wanted to have "a broader strategic conversation" with the Israelis following the sweeping changes across the region.
It would be a kind of "comparing of strategic notes," he said, adding she would also bring Israeli leaders "up to speed" on the diplomatic efforts to try to end the bloodshed in Syria.
Clinton, who was to meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Ehud Barak later in the day, was to tell them that their counterparts in Cairo had reaffirmed support for Egypt's peace treaty with Israel during her visit.
Egypt became the first Arab nation to sign a peace accord with Israel in 1979, and Clinton has repeatedly referred to it as "the cornerstone" of regional security.
Comments