Oren, Peres optimistic about direct talks
Israeli ambassador to US says relaunch of negotiations between Israel, Palestinians was 'a meeting conducted in good faith and also a good sense of friendliness.' President talks of 'very promising start,' while Arab League chief believes new round of talks will be the last
Israel's ambassador to the United States, Michael Oren, said Friday he saw reason for optimism following the relaunch of direct Israeli-Palestinian peace talks.
"It was a serious meeting, a candid meeting, and from everything I saw, a meeting conducted in good faith and also a good sense of friendliness," Oren said in a conference call.
"I have reasons to feel today optimistic," Oren said, declining to disclose details of the talks in line with other participants.
At meetings hosted by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian leader Mahmuod Abbas relaunched the first direct talks between the two sides in 20 months here Thursday.
They agreed to hold another round of talks in the Middle East on September 14-15, as well to meet roughly every two weeks in a bid to meet a daunting one-year deadline for a peace settlement.
Last round of talks? Netanyahu, Clinton and Abbas (Photo: GPO)
President Shimon Peres expressed his optimism as well following the resumption of direct negotiations. Speaking at a conference in Italy, Peres defined the relaunch of the talks as "a very promising start" and expressed his hope that they would "lead to real success."
Peres, who has had his own share of peace talks, told reporters during the Ambrosetti Forum in northern Italy, "I think that it started well, surprisingly, considering all the skepticism we have seen so far."
None of us has a real alternative, he stressed.
'Arabs ready for full peace with Israel'
Also in Italy, the Arab League chief predicted the new round of negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians would be the last.
He also said the Arabs were ready for full peace with Israel in exchange for a pullout from the lands Israel occupied in 1967, including east Jerusalem.
Amr Moussa told a news conference that "there is no alternative but to go ahead and to move on and to achieve a real peace.
He said Arabs were ready for peace and ready to have normal relations with Israel.
Moussa said he believed "this round of negotiations will be the final one."
AFP and The Associated Press contributed to this report
