President Abbas reaffirms basis of Palestinian-Israeli peace talks

Sunday December 23, 2007 22:39 by Rami Almeghari - IMEMC

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, reaffirmed Sunday the agreed-upon basis of negotiations with Israel, refusing any new framework for underway Israeli-Palestinian peace talks.

Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas/archive photo

Abbas, who met today with Fatah's local leaders in the West Bank, considered the Palestinian participation in the last month's Washington-sponsored Annapolis peace summit, a 'success' of the Palestinian side.

"We have gone to the Annapolis meet as many parties have thought more concessions were underway. However, we want to confirm to all that the Palestinian legitimate rights are inalienable and any negotiations should be based on the international legitimacy resolutions".

The Palestinian President also maintained that his negotiating team remains committed to such resolutions and subsequent accords and agreements, like the Road Map peace blueprint of 2003 and the Arab peace initiative of 2002.

At the economic level, Abbas believed that the financial support of $7 billions, pledged recently by the latest Paris economic meeting, surpassed Palestinian expectations.

"Such funds need to be allocated to budget and developmental projects", said Abbas.

Regarding current security arrangements across the West Bank, the President expressed consent over such Palestinian measures, saying that people need to feel secure about their lives and properties.

Abbas also referred to final status talks with Israel, saying " we have begun the negotiations, which currently face obstacles, the most notable of which the Israeli settlement activities".

At the internal level, the president asserted that more than a party, whether Arab or non-Arab, have been attempting to reunite the Palestinians, mainly Hamas and Fatah factions.

" Our position has been clear; no dialogue with Hamas, unless the group renounces control over Gaza", stressed the Palestinian president and Fatah leader.

Abbas's remarks today came after Palestinians and Israelis have been engaged over the past two months in two major conferences; the U.S-hosted Annapolis summit and the Paris economic conference.

The peace talks have been based on the relevant international resolutions and subsequent accords between Palestinians and Israelis, of which the Road Map peace plan of 2003.

The Road Map, for instance, demands the Palestinians to make security reforms, as Israel is required to halt all settlement activities on the occupied Palestinian territories. Israel has recently announced willingness to build hundreds of housing units on the occupied east Jerusalem.

ramallah | palestinian politics | news report rami at imemc dot org