Colin Powell and Ariel Sharon meet the press. (AP)

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	Prime Minister's Office
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	Palestinian National Authority
	US Department of State

American Secretary of State Colin Powell has called on Israeli and Palestinian leaders to end the cycle of violence in the region. On his weekend fact-finding visit, Powell met with Prime Minister Ehud Barak, Prime Minister-elect Ariel Sharon and Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat, urging both sides to "alter the current situation" and "bring calm to the region."

Powell achieved no major breakthroughs on a trip that introduced the new Bush administration to the region. Powell urged Israeli leaders to ease the economic sanctions imposed on the Palestinians, but stated at a joint press conference with Ariel Sharon that he was disturbed at the IDF briefing he received with regard to the escalation of Palestinian violence. Powell said that "confidence, coordination and cooperation between the parties" would have to be restored before negotiations could be resumed.

"The government that I will lead will not conduct negotiations under the pressure of terror," Sharon told the press conference, held after his meeting with Powell. The Prime Minister-elect confirmed that, after taking office, he would "conduct negotiations with the Palestinian Authority following the cessation of hostilities."

Sharon sent a number of demands to Yasser Arafat as preconditions to an easing of the economic sanctions that Israel has imposed on the territories. Sharon's aides later hinted that a representative of the Prime Minister-elect would meet Arafat to outline the steps the new government expected the Palestinians to make.

Arafat desires negotiations while Palestinians continue violence

Secretary Powell conveyed Sharon's message to Arafat during a two-hour meeting in Ramallah. At a press conference following this meeting, Powell said the two had "discussed how it is necessary for all sides to move away from violence and incitement and how it is necessary to lift the siege as soon as possible so that economic activity can begin again in the region."

Yasser Arafat replied that the Palestinians "look forward to be able to push forward the understandings that have been reached between us and the Israeli side." Arafat reiterated the Palestinian demand that the talks resume where they left off at the Taba negotiations, conditions unacceptable to Ariel Sharon.

As Powell met with the Palestinian leadership in Ramallah, two Jewish settlers were injured, one with a serious head-wound, in shootings only a few kilometers away. Though the Palestinian police had stepped up security in the city during Powell's visit, a Palestinian source told The Jerusalem Post "the shooting of the two Israelis was the Palestinians' answer to Powell's arrogant demand" that Palestinians and Israelis do more to end the violence.

Summarizing his visit, Powell was quoted by Israel's Army Radio as saying that "Prime Minister-elect Ariel Sharon showed openness and a willingness to leave his past behind, while PA Chairman Yasser Arafat is entrenched in stubborn positions and may not be doing everything possible to calm the situation."

Colin Powell's visit to the Middle East made clear that the United State's main interest is regional stability. Most of the focus of the trip was on attempts to resurrect the American-British coalition against Iraqi President Saddam Hussein. At his press conference with Sharon, Powell again insisted to Arab countries that Saddam Hussein needed to be restrained. Palestinian officials declined to comment on the outcome of talks between Powell and Arafat regarding Iraq. One source suggested that the Authority would remain neutral on the issue for the time being.

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