Road map only path to peace, says Powell

SECRETARY OF STATE Colin Powell yesterday said the United States does not plan to rewrite or renegotiate its road map for Middle East peace.

Powell said the document, accepted by the Palestinians but not by Israel, was “the only path” to peace.

“They (the Israeli government) have some comments on the road map and we will listen to their comments but we do not plan to rewrite or renegotiate the road map,” Powell told reporters in Amman on the third leg of a Middle East tour.

Powell, unable to win overt Israeli approval of the road map, said he could settle for small practical steps while Israelis and Palestinians work out their differences in direct negotiations.

“We believe the best way to get there is through the road map,” he said.

The peace plan requires Israel to accept an independent Palestinian state by 2005, dismantle recently built settler outposts in the Palestinian territories and freeze building activity at other Jewish settlements.