How a Diplomat Skirts

Last week, on December 6, there was an USINFO Webchat starring Thomas H. Goldberger, director of the Office of Israel and Palestinian Affairs in the State Department's Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs. The topic was the next steps after the Annapolis Conference on the Middle East.

Here's my question and the reply of Thomas Goldberger:-

Q [YMedad]: The Annapolis Declaration skirted the 14 objections that the previous Sharon Government of Israel insisted need be adopted so that the Road Map diplomacy proceed. As those 14 objections were ignored by the U.S. administration and, as we have been witness, the Road Map has entered basically a dead-end due to its inadequacies, how will peace be achieved unless Israel's security is to be endangered, again?

A [Thomas Goldberger]: The United States is well aware of the reservations Israel has made to the Roadmap. At the same time, we have agreed to Israel's request -- which the Palestinians also made -- that the Roadmap serves as the basis for the implementation of peace. The United States will assist both parties implementing the Roadmap.

Notice how he skirted the main issue?

What a diplomat!

P.S. I think I was the only pro-Israel participant out of maybe 40 people.