Military

DATE=02/28/02

TYPE=WORLD OPINION ROUNDUP

TITLE=SAUDI PEACE PROPOSAL

NUMBER=6-125584

BYLINE=ANDREW GUTHRIE

DATELINE=Washington

INTERNET=YES

EDITOR=Assignments

TELEPHONE=619-3335

CONTENT=

INTRO: News media around the world has been busy analyzing a surprising new peace initiative for the Middle East conflict put forth by the de facto ruler of Saudi Arabia.

In a conversation with New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman, Crown Prince Abdullah said that if Israel would withdraw back to its boundaries of 1967, his country would formally recognize Israel and establish diplomatic relations. Given Saudi Arabia's prominence in the Arab world as the keeper of Islam's two holiest sites, the proposal immediately generated a good deal of media attention.

We get a sampling now from V-O-A's _____________ in this week's World Opinion Roundup.

TEXT: To begin with, this is not a new proposal since the idea of land for peace has been around for years. Also, talking to a newspaper columnist does not constitute a formal proposal, but the idea that Saudi Arabia says it wants to try to bring peace between Israelis and Palestinians, after 17 months of extreme bloodshed got everyone's attention.

In Israel, many observers saw the proposal as the latest test of whether Israel's future will be determined by the hawkish Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and his right wing allies, or by the peace camp. While in the Arab world, most dailies suggest the plan offers "nothing new" but speaks volumes about Saudi concern over anti-Arab and Muslim backlash after the terrorist attacks last September in the United States.

To Israel first, where Ha'aretz ran this comment from one of its columnists:

VOICE: It was long ago proven that there is no solution to the Israeli-Arab conflict without a solution to the conflict with the Palestinians - - and that is what the Saudi initiative is all about.

TEXT: There was considerably more interest in Yediot Aharonot where another columnist wrote, wide-eyed:

VOICE: Saudi Arabia's very acknowledgement that Israel is entitled to exist within secure borders is an irreversible ideological move. The Kingdom's political weight and its centrality in the Muslim world confer particular importance to [its initiative].

TEXT: At yet another Israeli daily, Maarive there was much more skepticism: "On no account should [Israel] reject the idea . but it is too early to swoon over it."

Even more skepticism comes from an ultra-Orthodox Jewish daily Yated Ne'eman which suggests the initiative is:

VOICE: A foggy and empty peace plan could improve {Saudi Arabia's] image in the U-S, which is so fearful of events in this region. It is doubtful whether the Saudi plan has any contents beyond that.

TEXT: Turning to East Jerusalem for the Palestinian reaction, we read in Al-Quds

VOICE: The American administration should understand that this Saudi initiative is the chance to preserve, in the long run, strategic American interests in the Middle East. . Will George Bush possess the courage to adopt a position supporting peace and stability in the Middle East that serves humanitarian issues and American interests?

TEXT: Turning to another key neighbor, Egypt, we read in the well-known Al Ahram from Cairo other concerns for the region.

VOICE: President Mubarak's visit to Washington.(EDS: Next week) comes at a critical time for the region. The volatile situation in Palestine and Arab fears that the United States is making final preparations to launch a massive strike against Iraq are likely to top the agenda . The important initiative announced by Saudi Prince Abdullah . may well set the general framework for discussions of the situation.

TEXT: In Lebanon, the English-language Daily Star in Beirut is not enthusiastic about the plan's chances.

VOICE: Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and most of his hard-line allies are either reacting with stony silence or maneuvering to sink the Saudi proposal before it ever leaves port.

TEXT: In Saudi Arabia, in a column by the editor of Jeddah's Al-Sharq Al-Awsat we read:

VOICE: [the]. initiative is our initiative as Arabs. It is clear, and it presents a real test for the Israelis, since it poses them with a big question: Are they going to return the land, which is the core of the problem, or not? If they do, then peace will be possible, but if they refuse, peace for them will be impossible.

TEXT: On to Western Europe, where from London, we pick up Britain's Independent to read:

VOICE: It all sounds so wonderfully simple. All Israel has to do is .get out of the West Bank Gaza Strip and Syrian Golan Heights and recognize a Palestinian state. Heartily sick of the Middle East's endless conflict, the world is excited and intrigued, though also baffled. Can it really be that easy .

TEXT: On to Germany where Munich's Sueddeutsche Zeitung has this to say from its man in Jerusalem.

VOICE: Thus far, powerful Saudi Arabia has never played an active role in the search for a solution to the . conflict. The crown prince's initiative is, on the one hand, a reparation to the United States, since 15 of the 19 terrorists, who attacked the United States on September 11th, came from Saudi Arabia. On the other hand, the initiative is closely linked to the hopeless search for peace between Israel and the Palestinians.

TEXT: Italian reaction, at least in Il Giornale from Milan is one of wait and see, without excess exuberance.

VOICE: We will see whether the Saudi peace plan can work. We must wait at least until the Arab League summit . in Beirut on March 27th. Since yesterday [2-27] however, the plan . seems to be a more concrete hypothesis.

TEXT: More guarded optimism from Russia, where in Moscow, the daily Noviye Izvestiya writes:

VOICE: The plan is good in every respect. The . initiative has won approval around the world. But it is too early to speak of a breakthrough. .

TEXT: On to the European-Asian bridge nation of Turkey, where Istanbul's Milliyet suggests:

VOICE: The amount of worldwide interest in the plan proves that the Middle East could put the confrontations aside and work on diplomacy. . With the help of this very timely Saudi initiative, the ball is now in the Israeli court .

TEXT: In the Far East, China's area of the freest press, the special administrative region of Hong Kong boasts this editorial in the South China Morning Post.

VOICE: Crown Prince Abdullah, without concrete proposals, has bridged the gap where many months of American mediation had failed. It is time for encouragement at all levels to flow to the combatants.

TEXT: Wondering how the Japanese view all this? Well here is Mainichi's editorial from Tokyo on Thursday [2-28], which says in part:

VOICE: A ray of hope for peace appears to be emerging from the stalemated Middle East peace process. This follows Saudi Arabia's reported plan to [be] proposed at an upcoming Arab summit in Lebanon next month that Arab nations establish diplomatic relations with Israel, if it withdraws it troops from occupied areas. . The international community should seize on Saudi Arabia's peace initiative. Now, nothing is more important that close policy cooperation and coordination among the U-S, Europe and the Arab world..

TEXT: Some thoughts from a Mainichi editorial in Tokyo. And lastly, this from the Straits Times in Singapore.

VOICE: Crown Prince Abdullah's proposal . merits support. The Saudis are well-placed to rally Arab opinion behind its peace plan, which needs to be fleshed out. . the time has come for Israel to seized the hour and make peace with the Palestinians.

TEXT: On that upbeat note from Singapore's Straits Times, we conclude this editorial sampling of the world press on the latest Saudi Arabia's peace initiative in the Middle East.(Signed)

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