Before building coalition, Likud plans to draw up 'national emergency plan'

The Jerusalem Post ^ | 3 February 2003 | GIL HOFFMAN

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Feb. 3, 2003 Before building coalition, Likud plans to draw up 'national emergency plan' By GIL HOFFMAN

Before formally negotiating formation of a new governing coalition, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's Likud Party will meet with officials from all Knesset parties, including the Arab factions, to draw up a "national emergency plan."

The plan is to form the basis of the next coalition's policy guidelines, Likud sources said today.

"We're taking a different approach to coalition building than has been used in the past," a senior Likud source close to Sharon said.

"It's important to us to reach agreement with every party on the most important diplomatic and economic issues regardless of which parties enter the coalition," the source said.

The talks are to be held at Kfar Maccabiah in Ramat Gan. While they are goig on, Sharon intends to continue running the current government on a business-as-usual footing, the officials said.

Under the new government, the Likud intends to use President George W. Bush's diplomatic plan as the basis for diplomatic talks, the officials added.

Sharon doesn't rule out the possibility of taking major steps while still heading a transition cabinet, including the opening of talks with moderate Palestinians, the officials added.