Speaking to reporters at the United Nations in New York city, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said Thursday night that Israel would not return its forces to the Philadelphi route, because such a move would be irresponsible towards IDF soldiers.

Earlier in the day US President George W. Bush told Sharon there will be no further steps in the diplomatic process if Gaza is not quiet.

According to Israeli officials who participated in the 45-minute meeting, Bush told Sharon that from the US perspective Gaza is a test ground, and for there to be any further progress the Palestinians must ensure quiet, security and proper governance.

Bush also told Sharon the US would press the Egyptians to take control of the Egyptian-Gaza border, which has been open since the IDF's withdrawal from Gaza on Monday. Bush said he would impress upon the Egyptians and the Palestinian Authority the need to take effective control of the border.

During the meeting, Sharon described the anarchic situation reigning in Gaza in general, and along the Gaza-Egyptian border in particular. The prime minister said after the meeting that despite this chaos, Israel had no intention of going back to the Philadelphi corridor. He said Israel's decision to leave the corridor was not an error, and that it would be a mistake to leave IDF soliders exposed on a narrow road between the Palestinians and the Egyptians.

Sharon met at the United Nations with Bush shortly after the US leader addressed the opening of the 60th UN General Assembly, an event that has brought together some 170 leaders from around the world.

At a reception for the leaders in the afternoon, the president of Senegal introduced Sharon to Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf, who shook his hand and then introduced his wife to Sharon as well.

Israeli officials said that was the extent of the "chance" meeting that had been anticipated since Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom met his Pakistani counterpoint, Khursheed Kasuri, some three weeks ago in Turkey.

During the Bush-Sharon meeting, the two leaders also discussed the Iranian situation, and efforts to get the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) at its board of governors meeting on September 19 to agree to move Iran's march toward procurement of nuclear capacity to the UN Security Council for possible sanctions.

Diplomatic officials said the Russians had turned into the main obstacle preventing the transfer of the Iranian nuclear issue to the Security Council. Sharon was scheduled to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin late Wednesday evening Israeli time, where the Iranian situation was expected to dominate the talks.

Bush, according to Israeli officials, praised Sharon for what he said was his "inspirational" decision to withdraw from Gaza. Prior to the meeting that took place in a small room just outside the UN General Assembly, Bush shook hands with Sharon and in front of reporters said he knew disengagement "was hard, but I admire your courage."

"The world must hear that now is the time for the Palestinians to establish a government that will be peaceful to Israel," Bush said. "Gaza is a good chance to start, and I know the Israeli government wants to see that happen as well."

Bush, who said new opportunities were created by Sharon's "bold decision," also called on the world and the Arab nations to help the Palestinians develop an economy. "Now is the time for people to step up," he said.

Sharon later told reporters that the issue of Jonathan Pollard was raised in his conversation with Bush, but that the American position has not changed, although he added that discussions on the matter will continue.

Sharon added that Israel will continue to build in the settlement blocs and said that this issue was not raised in the meeting with the US president.

Bush was joined in the meeting with Sharon by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley, while Sharon was accompanied by Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom and adviser Dov Weisglass. Ambassador to the US Danny Ayalon, who is in a long-standing feud with Shalom, also attended the meeting.

Following the meeting with Bush, Sharon walked through the UN corridors teeming with leaders from all over the world, to a meeting with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Sharon and Erdogan discussed the role Turkey could play in the reconstruction of Gaza, specifically in the creation of industrial zones in the region.

Sharon also thanked Erdogan for his efforts in bringing about the between Shalom and the Pakistani foreign minister. Erdogan said Turkey would be willing to play a similar mediating role with Arab counties as well.

On Tuesday, Shalom met in his New York hotel with Indonesian Foreign Minister Hassan Wirayuda. One Israeli official said that while the meeting was "cordial," the process of establishing diplomatic relations with the Islamic world would be a long one.

Sharon, who for so long was viewed by the world body as the quintessential "Israeli hard-liner," is slated to address the world body on Thursday.

According to sources in Sharon's office, he will open his speech by saying that he came from Jerusalem, the "eternal capital of the Jewish people," and then trace the Jewish people's connection to Israel.

He is then expected to say that despite this historic connection, Israel – which yearns for peace – was willing to make compromises with the Palestinians, recognized the right of the Palestinians to a state, and had shown that it was willing to take painful steps.

He is also expected to turn to the Palestinians and say that now that there was no longer an Israeli presence in Gaza, they must take advantage of the opportunity, stop terrorism and violence, ensure law and order and begin fulfilling their obligations under the road map.

Saying poverty breeds terrorism and despair, Bush challenged world leaders on Wednesday to abolish all trade tariffs and subsidies – worth hundreds of billions of dollars – to promote prosperity and opportunity in struggling nations.

"Either hope will spread, or violence will spread, and we must take the side of hope," Bush told more than 160 presidents, prime ministers and kings gathered for three days of UN General Assembly meetings aimed at combating poverty and reforming the world body.

Bush's compassionate approach was a change in tone from earlier appearances at the UN where he chided world leaders for their reluctance to fight in Iraq and was criticized for what was perceived as a go-it-alone approach that ignored the views of other countries. This time Bush stood before the UN with the lowest approval ratings of his presidency at a time when his administration is seen as vulnerable for its poor handling of Hurricane Katrina.

He opened his remarks by thanking the more than 115 countries and nearly a dozen international agencies that have offered disaster assistance. "We have witnessed the awesome power of nature and the greater power of human compassion," the president said.

Bush called on Arab nations to help develop a Palestinian economy. "Now is the time for people to step up," Bush said.

For the first time, Bush took the US seat at the 15-nation Security Council as it unanimously passed resolutions to outlaw the incitement of terrorism, counter violent extremist ideologies and increase efforts to prevent armed conflict, especially in Africa.
 

JersualemPost.com