Bush names general to monitor Mideast roadmap
JERUSALEM (AFP) — US President George W. Bush has named a former B-52 bomber pilot, Lieutenant General William Fraser, to supervise Israeli and Palestinian compliance with the roadmap peace blueprint, the White House said Thursday.
The announcement came on the second day of Bush's visit to the region when he said he believed a Middle East peace treaty would be signed before his term in office ends in January 2009.
A former B-52 bomber pilot and pilot trainer, Fraser joined the air force in 1974 and is currently assistant to the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff of the US military, with particular emphasis on international relations and politico-military concerns.
The announcement was made by White House spokesman Gordon Johndroe.
The internationally-drafted roadmap was launched in 2003 but has made virtually no progress since then, although last month Israel and the Palestinians agreed to revive peace negotiations at US-sponsored talks in Annapolis outside Washington.
Under the Annapolis agreement, both sides committed to "immediately implement their respective obligations under the performance-based roadmap to a permanent two-state solution to the Israel-Palestinian conflict".
The agreement also says Washington "will monitor and judge the fulfillment of the commitment of both sides to the roadmap", which initially calls for the Palestinians to halt violence and Israel to freeze settlement activity.
