Mobile UPI  |   About UPI  |   UPI en Español  |   UPI Arabic  |   UPIU  |   My Account
Search:
Go

Yishai, Rice divided on economic meeting

|
|
 
  
Published: Oct. 14, 2007 at 2:36 PM

JERUSALEM, Oct. 14 (UPI) -- Israeli Industry, Trade and Labor Minister Eli Yishai's call for a Palestinian economic meeting has been rejected by U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

When the two met in Jerusalem Sunday, Yishai expressed displeasure with the current political climate in the Palestinian National Authority and said only an economic conference could unite the region behind Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Ynetnews reported.

"Today we have a Palestinian Authority with two heads. It is impossible to sign an agreement with only 40 percent of the Palestinian people," he told Rice. "We need a real reinforcement, rather than a virtual one. Only an economic conference can bolster Abu Mazen."

Yet Rice rejected that motion, instead saying the upcoming Annapolis conference will serve as a forum for core issues and direct negotiations for the troubled region.

"I am convinced that the Palestinians need an independent country," Rice said. "The Annapolis conference will discuss the core issues, but the negotiations will be held in a direct manner."

Topics: Abu Mazen, Mahmoud Abbas
© 2007 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Any reproduction, republication, redistribution and/or modification of any UPI content is expressly prohibited without UPI's prior written consent.

Order reprints
  
Join the conversation
Most Popular Collections
Notable deaths of 2012 Scripps National Spelling Bee AmfAR Cinema Against AIDS gala
Indianapolis 500 Presidential Medal of Freedom Memorial Day around the nation
Additional Top News Stories
1 of 27
Snigdha Nandipati of San Diego wins Finals of the Scripps National Spelling Bee
View Caption
Snigdha Nandipati of San Diego, California watches confetti rain down as she wins the two-day Scripps National Spelling Bee championship, May 31, 2012, in National Harbor, Maryland. Nandipati successfully spelled the word .* guetapens *, meaning to lure or ambush. UPI/Mike Theiler
fark
If you ever did win the lottery, would you give it away or surprise people with it in fun ways?
Criminal Pro-tip: when you steal someone's credit card, don't use your own grocery club card on...
The 21 absolute worst things in the world (not a slideshow). Bonus: #21
Egg-ception
How bad are things in Detroit? Even the fish are being murdered
Nineteen things that will drive your OCD self insane