Remarks to the Press With Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon Before Their Meeting

PRIME MINISTER SHARON: (In Hebrew, unofficial translation) Good morning to you. We are happy to welcome the Secretary of State, Colin Powell, the Secretary of State of the United States, a friend of Israel, a person who greatly contributed to the promotion of relations between the United States and Israel to its current level, worked hard for the advancement of the peace process in the Middle East, and I hope that we will yet see his contribution in the future. We know that Colin Powell played a pivotal role in the crucial events that took place over the last few years in our relationship with the United States.

I want to wish the Secretary of State, Colin Powell, success in his future endeavors. We know that he will continue to be active, and his concerns for peace in the Middle East is a special concern for him in itself.

I want to wish him success and thank him for his close cooperation and I am sure that our present relations and solidarity will continue in the improvement of relations between the two countries and the advancement of peace in the Middle East.

Thank you.

SECRETARY POWELL: Mr. Prime Minister, I would just like to say it is a great pleasure to be back in Israel. I have valued very much my friendship and my relationship with you over many years. I have come to bring a message of peace, and commitment from President Bush that he wants to move forward on the path of peace, to take advantage of the new opportunities that are before us.

So, I look forward to my conversation with you and Foreign Minister Shalom later in the day and then tomorrow I will be able to speak to the members of the Quartet and other leaders who are meeting in Sharm El-Sheikh. It is a moment of opportunity as we look forward to the Palestinian elections that will be held on the 9th of January and we will do everything we can in working together. Terror must be ended, violence must be ended, all sides must be prepared. I think this is a moment of opportunity.

I am pleased to be here. Thank you.
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