US softens opposition to Hamas role


Tuesday 20 September 2005, 23:21 Makka Time, 20:21 GMT
http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/E95302F1-1665-4884-903F-84BB0670713A.htm

The United States has signalled an easing of opposition to the participation
of Hamas in Palestinian elections and urged Israel to cooperate in organising
the polls.

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice elaborated the position after a meeting of
the International Quartet that called for intensified Middle East peace talks
but offered no new initiative to follow up on Israel's pullout from Gaza.

At a news conference on Tuesday, Rice reiterated the US view that there was a
"fundamental contradiction" between Hamas' armed activities and its plan to
run in January's legislative polls.

But she added: "We understand that the Palestinian political system is in
transition, that it is in transition towards a democratic system and that that
has to be a Palestinian process.

"I think we have to give the Palestinians some room for the evolution of their
political process," the chief US diplomat said.

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has threatened to withhold all cooperation
in election preparations if Hamas, considered by his country and the US as a
terrorist group, is allowed to run.

Softer comments

By contrast, Rice said: "We would hope that the elections can go forward and
that everyone will cooperate to make those elections go forward because
elections are fundamental to the continued evolution and development of the
Palestinian process."

The comments by Rice appeared softer than those of the White House, which
vowed 11 days ago to boycott Hamas members elected to the Palestinian
parliament in January.

"We do not believe that, in the end, a democratic state can be built when
parties or candidates seek power not only through the ballot but through
terrorist activities as well," said National Security Council spokesman Fred
Jones.

Rice held her first meeting with Quartet partners from the United Nations,
European Union and Russia since the Gaza handover, which they called an
opportunity to revive work on their road map for peace.

"Contacts between the parties should be intensified at all levels," they said
in a statement. It urged "renewed action in parallel by both parties" on their
obligations under the road map aimed at creation of a Palestinian state.

The Palestinians have expressed fears that the Israelis would use the success
of their Gaza withdrawal as cover to avoid similar moves to pull out of the
West Bank.

Not ripe time

But UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan acknowledged the time might not be ripe
for any major moves, with Sharon facing a serious political challenge and the
Fatah movement of Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas in a showdown with Hamas.

"Obviously we are monitoring these events very closely and would want to see
that settled before one takes any other bold initiatives," Annan told the news
conference.

"But what happens in the West Bank is very much on our mind. For us, the
quartet, it's Gaza first and then the next stage will be West Bank, not Gaza
first and Gaza last."

A Palestinian Authority spokesman said Rice called Abbas on Tuesday to inform
him of progress in the Quartet's quest for peace.

"Rice called Abbas to inform him of efforts to be made so that the Israeli
withdrawal from the Gaza Strip will be followed by initiatives that will allow
the creation of a Palestinian state," Nabil Abu Rudeina told AFP in Gaza.
AFP