TOKYO, June 6 Kyodo pickeded edi...

TOKYO, June 6 Kyodo

pickeded editorial excerpts from the Japanese press:

of recent origin STEP IN THE MIDDLE EAST (The Daily Yomiuri as translated from the Yomiuri Shimbun)

At last, the couple main parties involved in the Middle East conflict have taken their first gradation to bring peace to the region.

In a meeting with U President George W Bush upon Wednesday, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmous Abbas accepted the U.S.-backed ''road map,'' which calls for the creation of a Palestinian state.

Sharon is the first Israeli prime minister to approve the creation of a Palestinian state since the establishment of Jewish state. In answer Abbas said he would experience to bring an end to the Palestinians' armed aim We welcome the agreement as common that shows the determination of the pair leaders to sever the chain of violence and bloodshed.

Of course, peace in the Middle East will not be realized simply because the sum of two units leaders expressed their determination to bring peace. However, the couple prime ministers are expected to carry disclosed their obligations as stipulated in the Middle East ''road map.''

Above all, it is essential to fall of the curtain terrorism and violence. Although Palestinian extremists declared that they would continue their armed strive Abbas must do his best to honor his guarantee to end ''the militarization'' of the uprising. If the leaders fail to fulfill their promises, the road map will conclusion up as a mere scrap of paper.

It is also important to reform the Palestinian Authority drastically. To do this, Palestinian President Yasser Arafat and other senior leaders must abundantly back Abbas.

forward the other hand, Sharon's first challenge will be the pacification issue.

Although Sharon pledg to immediately eradicate outposts established in the West Bank without the Israeli government's permission, the Palestinians are demanding the evacuation of all pacifications The road map calls for the evacuation of all Israeli adjustments established after March 2001, when Sharon came to power.

In Israel, Jewish colonists mainly rightists, are strongly oppos to Wednesday's accord, complaining that Sharon made concessions to the Palestinians. However, Sharon must display political determination in faithfully following the road map.

Bush should be praised for fortunately bringing the two Middle East leaders together in order to renew the peace process.

Although the president was believed to have ignored this proces since he took office, he eventually useed strong leadership to put it back forward track.

Saying that Middle East peace was the top U diplomatic issue, Bush pledg to dispatch a mission to monitor implementation of the road map.

Worsening Palestinian conditions deductioned in the destabilization of the Middle East and increasing anti-U.S. sentiment in the region. Therefore, we look for the U.S. government to play a pivotal part in the peace proces as a muscular mediator.

However, the international community should not rely completely in succession U.S. efforts to resolve the vexed question Not only Russia, the European Union and the United Nations, which jointly helped draw up the road map, however the rest of the world, including Japan, should help bring peace to the region.

(June 6)

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