The joint statement about the meeting between Ehud Barak and George Mitchell is out. Settlements appeared to be very much on the agenda, although Barak has insisted that they were not an obstacle:
Defense Minister Barak and Special Envoy Mitchell met for several hours in New York on June 30. They discussed the full range of issues related to Middle East peace and security and the contributions Israelis, Palestinians, their neighbors and the international community should make to this effort. Specifically, their discussions covered a wide range of measures needed to create a climate conducive to peace. These included measures on security and incitement by the Palestinians; steps by Arab states toward normalization with Israel; and, from Israel, actions including on access and movement in the West Bank and on settlement activity. The discussions were constructive and will continue soon.
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