PNA Cabinet Minister Saeb Erekat told the Ramallah-based Al Ayyam Daily that while war is still continuing, "the Palestinians don't see any practical step to move the US roadmap peace plan from being a written text into a political track."

Despite the US official statements about presenting the roadmap peace plan within coming days, "it would be hard to implement the roadmap plan and bring the peace process back on track because of war in Iraq," he said.

The war on Iraq "must stop as immediately as possible, in order to help the parties resume the peace process and implement the roadmap to achieve peace in the Middle East." Erekat was quoted by the Daily as saying.

He refuted statements made by the US officials that ending settlement activities in the Palestinian territories has to be linked to progress in the peace process.

"These statements are contradicting with the text of President George W. Bush's speech as well as the roadmap plan, both of which called for an immediate cessation of all settlement activities," said Erekat.

The US National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice told the 44th annual policy meeting of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee on Monday that the roadmap for setting up a Palestinian state by the end of 2005 is not negotiable and Israel must "play its part" to pave the way.

Rice's comments followed the US Secretary of State Colin Powell's, who also said the roadmap is to be implemented and not negotiated.

"While everyone keeps talking about the implementation of the roadmap plan, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon keeps on implementing his settlement plans in the Palestinian territories," Erekat said.

The implementation of the roadmap peace plan had been postponed six times by the US Administration, he said, adding that "what we are concerned about is the war in Iraq would continue for a longer time, and talking about the roadmap would just remain words and not deeds."

(Xinhua News Agency April 1, 2003)