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Abbas says Palestine ready to resume talks with Israel if it abides by Annapolis process

Arab World Materials 7 January 2010 00:32 (UTC +04:00)
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said Wednesday that Palestine was ready to resume talks with Israel if Israel recognizes legitimacy of the Annapolis peace process.
Abbas says Palestine ready to resume talks with Israel if it abides by Annapolis process

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said Wednesday that Palestine was ready to resume talks with Israel if Israel recognizes legitimacy of the Annapolis peace process, Anadolu Agency reported.

Speaking to Turkey's ambassadors who convened in Ankara to discuss foreign policy issues, Abbas pointed out the importance of Annapolis process which he said was a road map that requires Israeli withdrawal from occupied Palestinian and Arab territory and from East Jerusalem.

Abbas said that Palestine was committed to peace and that "peace option was based on international legitimacy of Palestine state."

He accused Israel of not recognizing the international legitimacy of the process and 1967 borders, as well as refusing to stop settlement in Jerusalem. Abbas said Palestine had fulfilled all obligations in this process, however he said Israel was the side not to perform its obligations.

He also said that Palestine had been carrying out a dialogue process with several countries, adding that Palestine was ready to resume talks with Israel if these efforts resulted in success.

"Palestinian people want to live a normal, secure and honorable life in their independent state," Abbas said.

"If peace is established in the Middle East, tension would lessen in the world," he added.

Touching on Turkey-brokered indirect peace talks between Israel and Syria, Abbas said Palestine backed Turkey's mediation, adding talks could resume with Turkish mediation. He said talks would be beneficial also for Palestine.

Moreover, Abbas urged the international community to exert efforts to stop Israeli embargo on Hamas-ruled Gaza, adding that embargo reasons should be eliminated as well.

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