President Abbas hopeful about negotiations and dialogue

Sunday November 09, 2008 17:11 by Rami Almeghari - IMEMC & Agencies

Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas, said on Sunday that he is still optimistic about peace negotiations with Israel and that he is hopeful that Cairo succeeds in reactivating the national Palestinian dialogue.

Palestinian President , Mahmoud Abbas

In the Egyptian Red Sea resort town of Sharm Elshiekh, the Palestinian president emphasized the need to reactivate the Arab peace initiative of 2002, calling on a meeting of the Quartet (United Nations, United States, EU, Russia), to keep up playing its role in Middle East peace.

Abbas explained during a press conference in the Egyptian town, "peace negotiations with Israel will continue until February2009 in order to inject a momentum to the peace process".

On another issue, the Palestinian president was quoted as saying " we have decided to take part in the Cairo-hosted Palestinian national unity conference, but unfortunately Hamas has abruptly announced it would boycott such a conference".

However, Abbas voiced his hope that the Egyptian leadership would finally bring together the rival Palestinian parties , Hamas and Fatah of himself, in a serious dialogue that ends up with a unity government.

Caior was supposed to host today a conference of rival Palestinian parties to discuss ways out of current Palestinian internal political turmoil, in place since Hamas took over Gaza in June 2007. Hamas put off participation due to what the party said continuation of Abbas's forces arrests of its West Bank-based members and supporters.

arab world | palestinian politics | news report rami at imemc dot org