George Mitchell
A US State Department official has denied as “rumours” media reports that Special US Mideast envoy George Mitchell had offered his resignation.
“There appears to be a monthly rumour, story that George Mitchell is resigning. He is not, and he is on the job,” Philip J. Crowley, Assistant Secretary, said at the Daily Press Briefing on Friday. “George Mitchell is determined. He is engaged in discussions with the Palestinians, with the Israelis, with others around the region. And we’re all looking for that formula that can open the door for talks to begin.”
Hadith An-Nass, a Nazareth-based daily, reported on Friday that Mitchell wanted to quit in frustration with the way the US administration has been handling the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
The paper, quoting an unnamed Arab political source, said that his decision stemmed partly from a perception of biased favour towards Israel by some US officials within the State Department and also from his own failure to advance the resumption of peace negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians.
According to the report, the White House had turned down Mitchell’s request.
However, in the briefing, Crowley said that the US was frustrated because of the lack of progress. continue reading…
