Abbas accuses Israel of foiling exploratory talks
0 Comment(s)
Print
E-mail
Xinhua, January 29, 2012
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Saturday accused Israel of foiling exploratory talks that were held in Jordan's capital Amman this month.
Abbas said the talks, sponsored by the Quartet of Middle East peacemakers, failed due to "Israel's inflexibility and its refusal to present clear visions regarding the issues of borders and security."
Abbas made his remarks when he met with Ireland's Foreign Minister Eamon Gilmore in the West Bank, according of official Wafa news agency.
Wafa said that Abbas has reiterated the Palestinian leadership' s commitment to a real, serious peace process "leading to ending the Israeli occupation and the establishment of the Palestinian state" with its capital in East Jerusalem.
He stressed that the Palestinians are ready to resume direct peace negotiations once Israel recognizes the borders of the future Palestinian state and stops settlement building. Abbas said the 1967 lines should be the baseline of the borders.
Abbas hoped that the European Union (EU) would play "a bigger political role to accomodate with the level of threat engulfing the peace process."
This month, Palestinian and Israeli negotiators held six meetings in Amman in a bid to revive their direct negotiations, which have stopped since 2010. The Palestinians say that Israel has not presented details about its vision to settle security and borders issues.
The Quartet, which comprises the United States, the EU, Russia and the United Nations, believes that an agreement on the borders and security will smoothly lead to a final agreement between the two sides.
Go to Forum >>0 Comment(s)