Lieberman: Israel ready for talks with Palestinians

New York - Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman said Friday his government was ready to hold immediate talks with the Palestinians, but would not accept their preconditions. Lieberman was at United Nations headquarters for discussions with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on issues ranging from Iran's nuclear ambitions to the peace process in the Middle East. 'We have one position - we don't have preconditions,' Lieberman told reporters. 'What's important is to start the talks without preconditions.' He said there was now a 'good chance' of beginning direct talks immediately and creating a positive atmosphere between the two sides, but would not elaborate further. In Washington on Thursday, Lieberman said there will not be a complete freeze on settlement expansions in the West Bank, rebuffing a key demand by the United States for moving forward on the peace process. He said settlements must be expanded to accommodate 'natural growth' and reiterated claims that the administration of president George W Bush had assured Israel that position was acceptable to Washington. US President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton have emphasized that Israel must end settlement expansion under the international peace plan in what has been a growing dispute between the two sides over resuming peace negotiations with the Palestinians. On Friday, Lieberman said Jewish settlements were not an obstacle to the peace process, reflecting the position of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government. Netanyahu on Sunday outlined his plans for approaching the peace process. In a concession to Washington, Netanyahu said he would accept the creation of a Palestinian state but with conditions that include a Palestinian recognition of Israel as a Jewish state. Lieberman also told Ban that Israel was worried about Iran's nuclear programme. 'We worry about Iran, about (nuclear) proliferation and the threats in our region,' he said. 'We are worried about the crazy nuclear arms race in our region and we think that the threat is not for Israel, but for the entire world.'

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SaamiJun 21st, 2009 - 09:57:34

Moslems are desperately seeking for Nuke, not to hit Us or europe, but one and the only one israel.Their nuke tests would begin from telaviv,
I guess the mosleems are pretty near to acquire them as it is very likely to be gifted from US/west.
i think the west had enough of jewish menace.

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lenadJun 21st, 2009 - 12:11:49

Remember American politicians are paid for by the lobbiest representing Israel's interest. These politicians well say and do anything to please the lobby in order for them to get re-elected. I agree with you. Unless American tax payer stop sending billions of money yearly and military aid to Israel peace in the ME will not happen in our life time.

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OlpasJun 21st, 2009 - 17:27:33

Pakistan, a Muslim country, has nukes. Pakistan, allied to GWB's war on Iraq, gave nukes to North Korea (who has nukes).

SO lets pretend that the real danger is in the Israeli Arabs having nukes.

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