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Abbas says elections only way out of division in Palestine

Arab-Israel Relations Materials 15 March 2011 17:00 (UTC +04:00)
Palestine President Mahmoud Abbas Tuesday said that holding national elections is the only way to end division, WAFA reported.
Abbas says elections only way out of division in Palestine

Azerbaijan, Baku, March 15 /Trend/

Palestine President Mahmoud Abbas Tuesday said that holding national elections is the only way to end division, WAFA reported.

Abbas was speaking at a press conference in Ramallah with his Cypriot counterpart Dimitris Christofias.

He said, addressing the thousands of Palestinians who came out Tuesday in the West Bank and Gaza Strip to demand end to internal Palestinian division, that "we want to tell these people that we are with legislative and presidential elections and also elections for the Palestinian National Council if they want and at the nearest time possible because elections are the only way to end the division."

Thousands of Palestinians rallied throughout the Palestinian Territory Tuesday demanding end to division between the West Bank and Gaza Strip in order for the Palestinians to focus on ending the Israeli occupation.

Christofias said he was also against Palestinian division urging the Palestinian people to be united.

"My presence here today coincides with rallies in the West Bank and Gaza against division and occupation," he said. "I support Palestinian unification and I am against division," he said.

The Cypriot president expressed support for Palestinian drive for independence, stressing that he was against "Israeli settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem."

He said, "We cannot accept the wall and any acts against the Palestinian people and we support their efforts to have peace and a state."

Abbas called on Israel to accept the peace requirements and stop settlements.

"This is the time for Palestine on the June 1967 borders with Jerusalem as its capital to become a member of the United Nations," he said. "This is part of the requirements of the next stage."

Abbas called on the quartet for Middle East peace "before its next meeting to pressure Israel to accept the requirements for peace and stop settlements."

He blamed Israel for the impasse in the peace process because of its settlement activities, stressing that he will not accept settlements anywhere, not even in Jerusalem.

Christofias announced a $1 million donation for the Palestinian people to build a hospital.

The two sides also signed five cooperation agreements in various fields and a cooperation agreement between the Palestinian news agency WAFA and its Cypriot counterpart.

Christofias arrived in Israel Sunday for talks with both Palestinian and Israeli officials.

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