Israel
must choose between peace and settlements: Abbas
Sunday, September 26, 2010 08:00:34 AM,
DPA
|
New York:
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas Saturday told the United
Nations General Assembly Saturday that Israel "must choose between
peace and the continuation of settlements".
"We affirm our complete readiness to cooperate with the American
efforts for the success of the political process to reach a
comprehensive, just and lasting peace," Abbas said.
Abbas spoke as the clock ticked down on a Sunday deadline in
Israel that could lift building restrictions on Jewish settlers in
Palestinian territory.
If Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu allows a current
building freeze to expire, the Palestinians have threatened to
walk out on newly-started peace talks.
But Abbas did not repeat that threat before the United Nations, as
US diplomats intensified their efforts to keep the talks going and
pressured Israel to extend the freeze.
Abbas met for 25 minutes late Friday with US Secretary of State
Hillary Clinton.
Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak and the negotiators from an
Israeli delegation to the UN General Assembly extended their stay
in Washington after a series of meetings with US and Palestinian
officials in New York.
US Assistant Secretary for Near Eastern Affairs Jeffrey Feltman
told reporters that talks were "intense".
"We are urging Israel to extend the moratorium. And we also are
making clear to the Palestinians that we do not believe that it is
in their interest to walk out of the talks," he said.
"What I sense is that the Israeli and Palestinian delegations are
looking for ways to make sure the talks continue beyond Sunday,"
Feltman said.
Arab countries have apparently joined the effort to make sure the
talks continue. Clinton plans to meet Monday with Syria's Foreign
Minister Wallid Muallem as part of US efforts to try to restart
the Syria-Israel track, Feltman said.
"A comprehensive peace has to include the Syria-Israel track. It's
absolutely essential that Syria be part of this process," Feltman
said.
The US hopes that the Arab summit on October 9 will express
support by Arab countries for Abbas in the negotiating process.
That support was "essential" to the re-start of talks on September
2, and the US hopes that financial support will also be
forthcoming for the Palestinian Authority for economic
development, Feltman said.
Clinton attended a meeting earlier this week with Palestinian
Foreign Minister Salam Fayyad and Arab ministers in New York on
the sidelines of the General Assembly.
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