Senior Advisor Anthony Zinni To Return to the United States

After four days of intensive discussions with Israelis and Palestinians, it is clear that, while serious challenges remain, there are real opportunities for progress.

Working with General Zinni, Israeli and Palestinian security officials had a positive and constructive trilateral security committee meeting.  The trilateral committee will continue to work on practical steps to enhance security cooperation as well as to begin planning together for the implementation of the Tenet Security Work Plan at the appropriate time.

General Zinni will return to the region in the near future to assess what the parties have been able to accomplish in the bilateral and trilateral meetings that General Zinni has asked them to convene.  The United States remains committed to working with the parties to combat terrorism, end violence, implement the Mitchell Committee recommendations and resume a political process.