WASHINGTON, July 6 (UPI) -- U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell expressed "disappointment" Tuesday at the rate at which Israel was removing illegal outposts in the occupied West Bank.
Powell, who met with Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom at the U.S. State Department, also reiterated U.S. calls for the Palestinian Authority to rein in militant groups and hand over the security portfolio to Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas.
Powell called the discussion with Shalom on outposts "open and candid."
"I explained to the minister that we have some disappointment in the rate at which outposts had been removed," Powell said. "And the minister gave me assurances that they are hard at work on that."
Shalom said Israel had already removed "tens" of outposts and was committed to removing the others. He said his side has given the United States a list of 28 Israeli outposts and that the two sides would work together to "implement our commitment in the near future."
Shalom's figures contradicted those provided Monday by Eprahim Sneh, a member of the Israeli Knesset representing the opposition Labor Party. Sneh, who accused the government of lying to the United States, cited data and photographs from the Peace Now movement and said there were 53 outposts -- almost twice the government figure. He also said the photographs showed the government was expanding outposts, not taking them down.
The removal of outposts is a pivotal demand of the "road map," a plan put forward by the European Union, Russia, the United Nations and the United States. The plan calls for mutual confidence-building measures by Israel and the Palestinians, culminating in an independent Palestinian state and peace and security for Israel.
Over the last few months, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has said he will unilaterally withdraw from almost all of the Gaza Strip and parts of the West Bank, a plan the Bush administration supports as part of the "road map." Powell said the United States was discussing the withdrawal plan with the European Union and Arab officials, two regions where support for the Palestinian cause has traditionally been high, a fact Shalom noted in his comments.
"I've said it's very clear that we believe that the Americans are more influential in our region, and they have the key to make both parties to go together and to move toward a more positive attitude toward the peace process," he said.
Both Powell and Shalom reiterated their concern at the security situation in the Gaza Strip once Israel withdraws. The Egyptians have said they will train Palestinian security forces and are working closely with both Israel and the United States on the issue.
"The Egyptians have been working with the Palestinians to help them organize and strengthen their security services to take real responsibility in Gaza," State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said Tuesday.
The United States and Israel want the Palestinian Authority to crack down on militant groups that attack Israeli military and civilian targets, another key demand of the "road map." Both countries have said the Palestinians are not doing enough to control militancy and want the Palestinians to hand the security apparatus to Prime Minister Abbas. Security is now controlled by Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, whom Israel and the United States have frozen out of talks.
"We also discussed the ... need especially for the Palestinians to get on with the business of consolidating their security organization, giving authority to a prime minister to run those security organizations in an effective way," Powell said.
Israel is building a barrier -- 95 percent fence and 5 percent wall -- along the border with the West Bank that it says will control terrorist attacks. Palestinians have complained that the structure takes away large portions of farmland and makes life more difficult.
Last week, the Israeli high court partially agreed with Palestinian complaints, ordering the government to alter 25 miles of the barrier because it infringes on the lives of more than 30,000 Palestinians. On Friday, The Hague-based International Court of Justice will decide if the barrier violates international law. Israel has said it will not recognize the ruling.
At the State Department Tuesday, Shalom said the barrier had not only sharply decreased the attacks on Israel, but also eased the lives of Palestinians.
"Since we have built this fence, it gives us the opportunity to cancel 80 roadblocks within the territories," he said. "That gives more freedom to the Palestinians."
The two sides also discussed Iran's nuclear program, which Tehran says is for nuclear purposes only and Washington insists is for making nuclear weapons.
"We know Iran's intentions, and those intentions are to keep a nuclear weapons development program going," Powell said.
He added that the United States would continue to ensure Iran does not pursue nuclear weapons or acquire them.
Shalom accused Iran of attempting to develop a new missile that could reach Berlin, London, Paris and southern Russia. Shalom termed the Islamic republic a global threat.
The discussions came amid continuing scrutiny of Iran's nuclear program by the International Atomic Energy Agency, the U.N. nuclear watchdog. IAEA Director-General Mohammed ElBaradei is currently in Israel, discussing nuclear issues with the government. Shalom said he would discuss the Iranian program with ElBaradei during a meeting Thursday.
Israel is believed to possess nuclear weapons, but has a policy of neither confirming nor denying the existence of such a weapons program.
Powell and Shalom also discussed World Bank reconstruction in the Gaza Strip and the situation in Iraq and Sudan.
