Bush for removal of Arafat, calls for a new democratic
leader
In yet another US intiative
at solving the Middle East crisis, President George W
Bush has called on the Palestinians to replace Yasser
Arafat with a democratic leader who is "uncompromising
with terror", as a condition for creation of a provisional
Palestinian state within three years.
Delivering a long-awaited speech laying out a solution
for the West Asian crisis, Bush also asked Israel to pull
back its troops and stop building settlements in the West
Bank and Gaza Strip.
Without mentioning Arafat by name, the President declared
in his White House Rose Garden speech that "Peace
requires a new and different Palestinian leadership, so
that a Palestinian leader can be born. I call on the Palestinian
people to elect new leaders, leaders not compromised by
terror".
Bush said the steps will be followed in the due course
by a "full-fledged State on the territories allocated
to the Palestinian authority" he said.
"Israel for its part", said Bush "as we
progress towards security, withdraw fully to positions
it held prior to September 28, 2000" and also urged
the Israelis to stop settlement activity in the occupied
territories.
Washington,
June 25, 2002 (PTI)
