Prime Minister Jean Chretien has issued a "guarantee" that Middle East tensions won't hijack plans to make African development a key priority at June's G-8 summit in Kananaskis.
"We will not put aside the African file because there is a problem in the Middle East. I guarantee that to you," Chretien said Sunday in South Africa as Israel's offensive against Palestinian militants continued for a 10th day. "We won't let this meeting be hijacked by actuality."
Chretien was in Pretoria to discuss a development plan with the leaders of several African nations.
Known as the New Partnership of Africa's Development, it is a proposal by African leaders to create a partnership with the G-8 and link foreign investment to an African nation's performance in areas of justice, human rights, governance, health and education.
Some African stakeholders have expressed concerns recent events in the Middle East could overshadow the Africa plan to be put before G-8 leaders this summer in K-Country.
The G-8 originated as an economic meeting, Chretien said, outlining the three key items on the agenda.
"So we will start with that (economics) and after that it's going to be Africa and the third item is terrorism."
"But when we talk terrorism, of course, perhaps the question of Saddam Hussein might be mentioned, but it will not be the main subject of the discussion."
The growing cycle of deadly violence in the Middle East is expected to dominate debate today in the House of Commons when MPs return from a two-week Easter break.
Opposition parties are almost united in their disdain for what they say is Ottawa's reluctance to say or do anything firm about the conflict.
The government last week added its voice to the chorus of countries urging Israel to withdraw from Ramallah, where some of the most intense fighting is going on.
But critics say it hasn't done enough.
Some feel the government has lacked a consistent message on the issue, while others want it to do something concrete to bring Israelis and Palestinians to the negotiating table.
"We're coasting," said Tory House leader Peter MacKay. "We're saying the Americans are leading this particular effort. That's not good enough. Our reputation is such that we should be more proactive in this affair."
U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell said Sunday that Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has "taken very much to heart" U.S. demands for an immediate withdrawal of Israeli forces from the West Bank, but added that Sharon told him it won't come until Israel's mission is accomplished.
Despite strong demands by U.S. President George W. Bush on Saturday, when Bush hardened his administration's position and called for an "immediate withdrawal" of all Israeli forces, Powell said Sharon "did not give me a specific timetable of the withdrawal."
"Mr. Sharon has made it clear to us, repeatedly . . . that he is anxious to remove Israeli forces from these cities and towns when he believes he's accomplished his mission, and I hope this is as soon as possible," Powell said.
The Israeli military incursion into Palestinian towns and cities began March 29 after suicide bombs killed 27 people in the Israeli city of Netanya. Fighting raged on again Sunday as Israeli forces fought fierce battles in the crowded refugee camps of Jenin and the streets of Nablus.
Israeli troops have taken over most Palestinian population centres in the West Bank in their biggest offensive in two decades. But for the fourth straight day fighting was focused on Jenin and Nablus, where resistance has prevented the Israelis from taking full control of the cities and conducting house-to-house searches for militants, as has been the case elsewhere in the West Bank.
Israeli Defence Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer said increasing international pressure means "our hourglass is running out," but army Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Shaul Mofaz reportedly told cabinet he needed eight weeks to complete the job of getting to "all the centres of terrorism in the West Bank and Gaza."
Meanwhile, Sharon charged that Iran and Syria were trying to widen the fighting to another front, as Lebanese guerrillas fired on Israeli border posts, wounding six soldiers.
In a phone conversation late Sunday, Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres asked Powell to intervene with Lebanon and Syria to calm the border. They also discussed possibilities for a ceasefire between Israel and the Palestinians, according to a statement from Peres's office.
In New York, the UN Security Council on Sunday insisted on "immediate implementation" of resolutions demanding an Israeli-Palestinian ceasefire and an Israeli withdrawal from Palestinian cities without delay. Israel's UN Ambassador Yehuda Lancry said a withdrawal must be "strictly related and connected to certain Palestinian steps -- the cessation of terrorist acts, the meaningful ceasefire."
Powell said he is not expecting to broker a peace agreement during his trip, but hopes he can negotiate a ceasefire that will last long enough to bring both parties back to the table.
Powell arrives in Morocco today to meet with Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Abdullah, the author of the Saudi initiative, endorsed by all 22 Arab states at the recent Arab Summit, which outlines a plan for Israelis and Palestinians to live in peace. Powell will then travel to Egypt before moving on to Madrid where he will meet with UN Secretary General Kofi Annan and other European representatives.
Powell is scheduled to arrive in Jerusalem later in the week to meet with Sharon, but did not commit himself to a meeting with Arafat, saying only that a meeting might take place if "circumstances permit."
The Bush administration has refused to label Arafat a terrorist, despite adding the Al Aksa Martyrs Brigades, a group directly tied to the Palestinian security services, to the U.S. list of terrorist organizations.
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