Egypt criticises Israeli terms for talks

MIDDLE EAST: The President of Egypt, Mr Husni Mubarak, warned yesterday that it is impossible to put a condition on negotiations between Palestinians and Israelis on a halt to all violence.

Mr Mubarak, who has been trying to broker talks, made this remark in response to the declaration that the Israeli Prime Minister, Mr Ariel Sharon, would not hold talks with the new Palestinian President, Mr Mahmoud Abbas, until he takes action against Palestinian militant formations.

Mr Sharon wants Mr Abbas to disarm and disband these groups. Waiting until he does could put resumption of the peace process on indefinite hold.

The Palestinian Foreign Minister, Dr Nabil Shaath, stated: "I'm afraid that Sharon will say Abu Mazen (Mr Abbas) is following Arafat's path and so he will not deal with Abu Mazen."

In 2001, Mr Sharon declared the late president, Mr Yasser Arafat, a "non-partner" and refused to deal with him. Dr Shaath also condemned Israel's threat to escalate military action in response to last Thursday's attack which killed six Israelis in Gaza. Mr Mubarak and Dr Shaath spoke just 24 hours after Mr Abbas was sworn in as the second president of the Palestinian Authority.

In his inaugural address to the Palestinian legislature in Ramallah, Mr Abbas said violent events in Gaza "do not help calm the situation or create a peace process" and pledged to carry out Palestinian obligations under the "road map" peace plan in spite of Israel's West Bank wall, closures, and assassinations.

Mr Abbas has said he would use "persuasion" rather than force to halt guerrilla operations. He does not possess the security apparatus to tackle Hamas and the Aqsa Brigades, the military wing of his own Fateh movement.

While prime minister in 2003, Mr Abbas imposed a unilateral ceasefire on these groups but since then, Israel's elimination of their leaders destroyed the chain of command and allowed local figures to take charge. Some are prepared for a ceasefire, others are not.

A Damascus-based Hamas leader respected in Gaza, Mr Musa Abu Marzouk, said the movement is against a truce but a West Bank figure, Shaikh Hassan Yusif, said Hamas would accept a ceasefire. Mr Abbas insists any truce must be mutual. Hostilities resumed after 50 days in 2003 because Israel continued incursions into Palestinian areas and killings of militants.

Meanwhile the credibility of Mr Abbas has been challenged by the resignation of 46 election commission officials who claim his supporters manipulated the result of the January 9th poll by extending voting hours and permitting people to cast ballots in all polling stations rather than where registered.