Israel sought yesterday to end a row with chief ally Washington over a controversial Chinese arms deal ahead of a visit by China's top diplomat, saying it regretted any possible damage to US interests.
US Secretary of State Condoleezzaa Rice -- by coincidence in Israel on the same day as Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing (
Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom insisted Israel had "acted in good faith" amid continued fallout from a deal to upgrade Harpy Killer drones that Israel sold to China.
"I regret that these sales could have damaged the interests of the United States, but we were acting in good faith," Shalom told public radio before meeting Rice in Jerusalem.
Following her discussions with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Shalom, the top US diplomat suggested progress had been made on the fallout.
"I think everyone knows our concerns with arms sales to China ... I appreciate that the Israeli government has been working on this issue," she said at a news conference.
"I believe the Israelis now understand our concerns and I am certain as good partners can ... we will come to strong resolutions that allow us to proceed."
Israeli foreign ministry spokesman Mark Regev also said he expected the rift to be cleared up.
"As far as I know there is an understanding that these things will be behind us soon," he told reporters. It is "our hope that we'll make arrangements with the United States" to resolve the matter, he added.
But Regev would not say whether such arrangements would entail a complete halt to Israeli dealings with China or the possibility of case-by-case approval by the US on Israeli arms deals.
Rice only last week indicated her unhappiness with Israel over its transfer of military equipment and technology to China, despite rounds of what she called "very difficult discussions."
The Pentagon has confirmed imposing some restrictions on arms sales and technology transfers to Israel following the drones deal.
The row has cast a rare shadow over Israeli-US relations, with the influential chairman of the Knesset's foreign affairs and defense committee Yuval Steinitz describing the situation as a "crisis."
After his talks with Rice, Shalom is scheduled to meet Sunday with Li, whose visit to the region is a further sign of Beijing's deepening involvement in the quest for peace in the Middle East.
The Chinese foreign minister is also set to meet with Palestinian leader Mahmud Abbas in the West Bank town of Ramallah on Monday. Abbas was in Beijing last month while Shalom also visited the Chinese capital late last year.
Shalom hailed what he called a "huge improvement" in relations between Israel and China, but issued a veiled warning to Beijing to soften its traditional pro-Palestinian stance.
"Any country that wants to get involved in the peace process should take balanced positions vis-a-vis the Israelis and Palestinians," he said.
Tropical Storm Gaemi strengthened into a typhoon at 2pm yesterday, and could make landfall in Yilan County tomorrow, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. The agency was scheduled to issue a sea warning at 11:30pm yesterday, and could issue a land warning later today. Gaemi was moving north-northwest at 4kph, carrying maximum sustained winds near its center of up to 118.8kph and gusts of 154.8kph. The circumference is forecast to reach eastern Taiwan tomorrow morning, with the center making landfall in Yilan County later that night before departing from the north coast, CWA weather forecaster Kuan Shin-ping (官欣平) said yesterday. Uncertainty remains and
SEA WARNING LIKELY: The storm, named Gaemi, could become a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, with the Taipei City Government preparing for flooding A tropical depression east of the Philippines developed into a tropical storm named Gaemi at 2pm yesterday, and was moving toward eastern Taiwan, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Gaemi could begin to affect Taiwan proper on Tuesday, lasting until Friday, and could develop into a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, it said. A sea warning for Gaemi could be issued as early as Tuesday morning, it added. Gaemi, the third tropical storm in the Pacific Ocean this typhoon season, is projected to begin moving northwest today, and be closest to Taiwan on Wednesday or Thursday, the agency said. Today, there would likely
DISRUPTIONS: The high-speed rail is to operate as normal, while several airlines either canceled flights or announced early departures or late arrivals Schools and offices in 15 cities and counties are to be closed today due to Typhoon Gaemi, local governments announced last night. The 15 are: Taipei, New Taipei City, Taoyuan, Tainan, Keelung, Hsinchu and Kaohsiung, as well as Yilan, Hualien, Hsinchu, Miaoli, Chiayi, Pingtung, Penghu and Lienchiang counties. People should brace for torrential rainfall brought by the storm, with its center forecast to make landfall on the east coast between tonight and tomorrow morning, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The agency issued a sea warning for the typhoon at 11:30pm on Monday, followed by a land warning at 11:30am yesterday. As of
CASUALTY: A 70-year-old woman was killed by a falling tree in Kaohsiung as the premier warned all government agencies to remain on high alert for the next 24 hours Schools and offices nationwide are to be closed for a second day today as Typhoon Gaemi crosses over the nation, bringing torrential rain and whipping winds. Gaemi was forecast to make landfall late last night. From Tuesday night, its outer band brought substantial rainfall and strong winds to the nation. As of 6:15pm last night, the typhoon’s center was 20km southeast of Hualien County, Central Weather Administration (CWA) data showed. It was moving at 19kph and had a radius of 250km. As of 3pm yesterday, one woman had died, while 58 people were injured, the Central Emergency Operation Center said. The 70-year-old