RIYADH—Arab states agreed on Monday to relaunch a five-year-old peace plan with Israel at their summit this week, a move which could help renewed U.N and U.S. efforts to revive peace talks.
The peace plan offers Israel normal ties with Arab states in return for full withdrawal from land it occupied in the 1967 Middle East war. Israel rejected the plan in 2002, but is more upbeat about peace prospects now it is to be relaunched.
The United Nations also suggested gathering Israel, the Palestinians and Arab states at a meeting to try to revive peace talks and U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice shuttled between the sides on Monday to try to bring them closer.
"The Arabs have agreed to reactivate the Arab initiative without changes. We reiterated that all Arab nations will adhere to the initiative as it is," Jordanian Foreign Minister Abdelelah al-Khatib told Reuters after a meeting of Arab foreign ministers in the Saudi capital.
The initiative is to be relaunched at summit of Arab heads of state in Saudi Arabia on March 28-29.
A draft text of the resolutions obtained by Reuters reiterates a call "to all Israelis to accept the initiative and seize the current opportunity to return to the direct and serious negotiating process at all levels."
Israel Upbeat
Israel continues to object to some elements of the Saudi-sponsored plan, including the proposed return to 1967 borders, the status of Jerusalem and the refugee issue.
But Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert was upbeat about the plan on Monday, telling reporters: "If moderate Arab countries try to advance the process along the lines of the Saudi initiative, I would look at it as a very positive development."
Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshiyar Zebari told Reuters the plan would be presented to the United Nations and the Quartet of Middle East peace brokers for their endorsement.
U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, who is to attend the Arab summit, said on Monday that Israeli and Palestinian leaders, along with officials from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates, could be invited to attend the next Quartet meeting, expected to take place in Egypt.
"It is a very interesting, useful idea to consider. But we need more consultations," Ban said.
The Quartet is made up of the United Nations, the United States, the European Union and Russia.
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said he would "not hesitate to participate" if invited to such a meeting.
A public meeting that brings Israeli and Saudi officials together would be a breakthrough. The countries do not have formal relations, though there are reports of informal contacts.
U.S. officials said the idea was only one of several being considered and no decisions had been made.
"The only decision that has been made by the Quartet is that we will meet at some point in the region. Precisely what geometry we might use has not really been decided or really fully considered by the Quartet or by other parties," Rice told reporters before meeting Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni.
Rice Shuttles
On her fourth visit to the Middle East in four months, Rice met Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to see if they would agree to talk about peace indirectly, with the United States shuttling back and forth, rather than face-to-face.
Olmert has ruled out engaging Abbas directly since the Fatah leader formed a unity government with the Islamist party Hamas.
While Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal said on Sunday his group would not oppose the Arab peace plan at the summit, party officials have also avoided giving clear support for the plan and reject any explicit recognition of Israel.
Arab ministers said only Arab states with ties to Israel would talk to the Jewish state at first, but if Israel accepted the Arab plan it could pave the way for other states on the committee, which include Saudi Arabia, to open their own tracks.
"If it works out, all Arab states will be concerned with negotiations," Lebanese Culture Minister Tareq Mitri said.
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal said Arab endorsement would enhance the plan's chances.
"If the Arabs have a clear and strong position on the initiative, it has more chance of being adopted internationally and of serious peace negotiations," he said.
