Olmert to ask US act against Iran
By Ronny Sofer
05/10/06 "ynetnews"
-- -- PM set to visit Washington in two weeks for summit
with President Bush; Olmert to point to link between Tehran
nuclear threat, Hamas terror, demand Americans move against Iran
Prime Minister Ehud Olmert is due to leave for Washington in two
weeks-time and hold a summit with American President George W.
Bush. The two leaders are set to meet in a bid to formulate a
uniform stance on the Iranian nuclear threat and Hamas' rule in
the Palestinian Authority. The PM will also attempt to ascertain
the Administration's standpoint on the issue of the planned
Israeli withdrawal from the West Bank.
On Wednesday Olmert convened Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni,
Defense Minister Amir Peretz and senior defense officials to
discuss the US
visit.
The PM is scheduled to stay in the American capital for four
days. On the second day of his trip Olmert will meet Secretary
of State Condoleezza Rice and Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld.
On the third day, May 23, the PM will meet President Bush at the
White House. The day following his meeting with the president,
Olmert is set to speak before the two Houses of Congress.
Diplomatic officials in Jerusalem stressed that the main purpose
of the visit is to hold an introduction between Olmert and the
senior American officials, and to confirm both countries see eye
to eye on several issues.
Olmert will also seek to emphasize during the visit the need for
international action against the Iranian nuclear plan and the
Hamas government, which threaten the region. Olmert will point
to the link between the two subjects.
The PM will make clear to his American counterparts that
Tehran's nuclear project, and the country's threats to destroy
Israel, represent a threat to the entire Western world. He is
also set to stress that the same Iranian government supports
Hizbullah, which poses a threat to Israel's northern border, and
the Hamas-led government that is behind unrest in the
territories.
One of the options Jerusalem officials are considering, is that
the Americans will ask Olmert to engage in dialogue with PA
Chairman Mahmoud Abbas. Israel at this point rules out any
possibility for talks with the PA, and a government decision
from April 11 has also branded the Authority a terrorist entity.
(05.10.06, 17:15)
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