Notes on Meeting With Israeli PM Yitzhak Shamir
(November 15, 1989)
The President met today with Israeli Prime Minister
Yitzhak Shamir, who is in the United States on a private visit. Prime
Minister Shamir and President Bush discussed the state of the U.S.-Israeli
relationship. The President reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to the security
of Israel.
They also reviewed the importance of moving ahead in
the peace process. The President focused on the effort to bring Palestinians
and Israelis together in a dialog on elections and a negotiating process.
The President reaffirmed his conviction that all parties should demonstrate
the necessary flexibility and imagination to take advantage of the historic
opportunity for direct negotiations between Palestinians and Israelis
offered by Israel's peace initiative.
The President noted that the U.S. five points offer
a framework that will allow Israel and the Palestinians to engage on
the substantive issues of elections and the negotiating process, while
safeguarding the legitimate interests of all who accept those points.
In this regard, the President expressed his pleasure with the Israeli
Inner Cabinet's decision of November 5 to accept the five points, while
noting that any assurances that might be provided by the United States
to any party should not result in a renegotiation of these points. The
United States and Israel agreed to continue their close consultations.
Sources: Public Papers of the President |