UPI NewsTrack TopNews

Mar 27, 09:40 AM

Current Headlines: Olmert, Abbas agree to meeting schedule JERUSALEM, March 27 (UPI) -- U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice brokered a deal in Jerusalem between Israeli and Palestinian leaders to meet twice a week to address security issues.

Since Sunday, Rice has gone back and forth between Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, and on Monday told a news conference the talks will address concerns of the moment, CNN reported.

These are initial discussions to build confidence between the parties, Rice said. Palestinians must know that their state will be viable. Israelis must know that a future state of Palestine will be a source of security, not a threat to it.

Rice said the formation of the new Palestinian unity government was welcome, but still problematic because of the inclusion of militant Hamas members.

A path of cooperation with the new Palestinian government exists but it is blocked by Hamas' continued unwillingness to commit itself, in word and deed, to ... renouncing violence, recognizing Israel's right to exist and adhering to previous agreements and obligations, she said.

Arabs to resume Israel peace talks JERUSALEM, March 27 (UPI) -- The Arab League announced in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday it was willing to revive formal peace talks with Israel.

Saudi Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal told a news conference that a working group would be designated to return to the negotiating table, The Washington Post reported.

The initiative includes a mechanism to promote it and gain its acceptance and especially registering it officially at the United Nations, Faisal said. That's what's going to happen, so that it becomes a basis and a major reference point for peace in the Middle East.

As the plan stands, Arab countries would recognize Israel's sovereignty if Jerusalem agreed to give up land occupied after the 1967 war and allow Palestinian refugees to return to their ancestral homes taken over in 1948 when Israel declared statehood.

There was no immediate response from Jerusalem, which has in the past balked at the issue of returning refugees' homes, as well as a provision of turning over East Jerusalem to the Palestinians.

Iraq arrests three al-Qaida men in Baghdad BAGHDAD, Iraq, March 27 (UPI) -- An Iraqi general said an al-Qaida leader who admitted killing 300 people and two of his aides have been arrested in Baghdad security sweeps.

At a news conference, Gen. Qassem Atta showed a video of the arrest of Ahmad Farhan and the two others, the Kuwait News Agency, KUNA, reported Tuesday.

Farhan, a leader of the terrorist organization in Iraq, admitted his direct responsibility for killing up to 300 persons and abducting some 200 others and confessed also of having close ties with a wanted man named Abu Omar al-Baghdadi, Atta said.

The video also showed the seizure of a large cache of arms, the report said.

The general said between March 21-26, the ongoing security sweep of Baghdad had resulted in freeing a total of 25 hostages, the arrests of 30 known terrorists and 227 other arrests of suspects.

Aussie government welcomes detainee's plea CANBERRA, Australia, March 27 (UPI) -- Australian officials have welcomed Guantanamo detainee David Hicks' guilty plea to charges of providing material support for terrorism.

Hicks, an Australian citizen, has been held at Guantanamo Bay for more than five years since he was captured in Afghanistan fighting for the Taliban.

Australian Prime Minister John Howard told Parliament Tuesday while the plea was welcome he was still not happy the U.S. military process had taken so long.

It has always been our view that Hicks should face justice but we have been very concerned about the time that it has taken, Howard said.

Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said Hicks could be in Australia soon under a prisoner exchange deal with the United States.