CARTER STILL BUSY

The Carter Center which he established is one of the more useful of the institutions that most former presidents set-up to preserve their legacy. In Mr Carter's case he has created an organisation that is widely respected throughout the world and is often called on to verify that elections have been “free and fair”. This past week Carter, now 84, was in Nepal himself with his team to monitor that country's first elections. His next important meeting is likely to be in Syria this week when he expects to hold talks with the exiled leader of Hamas, Khaled Meshel. This meeting has already been frowned on by US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and the State Department underlined her view with a statement that “Hamas is a terrorist organisation and we don't negotiate with terrorists”. Mr Carter was not fazed: “I feel quite at ease in doing this,” he said, “If Israel is ever going to find peace with justice with the Palestinians, Hamas will have to be included in the process.” This point is so clear that it is amazing talks are still going on between Israel and Mahmoud Abbas' West Bank Palestine that exclude Hamas. President Bush's longed-for peace settlement before he leaves office is impossible if Hamas is not brought into the negotiations.