Olmert reportedly offers Abbas preliminary talks; PA denies recieving any proposal
Olmert and Abbas in June [Ma'anImages]25 July 2007
Bethlehem – Ma'an – Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert is ready to negotiate with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, as long as the talks are limited to relatively uncontroversial issues, the Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported Wednesday. The Palestinian Authority said though they have not yet received the proposal, they are ready to negotiate.
Olmert wants to hammer out a general "Agreement of Principles," which will address core territorial issues, as a prerequisite to negotiations on final status issues such as borders, the status of Jerusalem, and the fate of Palestinian refugees.
Abbas' media advisor Nabil Amr issued a statement saying, "We don’t have any official offer from Olmert and we don’t have any copy of his suggestions which Haaretz published, but we are very ready to deal with it and start negotiations regarding final status issues immediately in a secret or public way."
Amr also expressed hope that the Haaretz report reflects the wish of the Israeli government and people to find a solution to the conflict on the basis of the Arab League peace initiative and the long-neglected Roadmap for Peace proposed by US President Bush.
Haaretz reported that the any preliminary agreement is likely to include the establishment of a Palestinian state on 90% of West Bank land and all of the Gaza Strip. A land swap would compensate Palestine for land taken up by Israeli settlements. A tunnel would connect the West Bank to the Gaza Strip. Olmert is said to want to withdraw to the Israeli security fence, not to the pre-1967 Green Line.
Olmert's reported offer is seen as a modest step intended to boost domestic support his own government, and to increase support among Palestinians for Abbas' caretaker government.
At a press conference Wednesday afternoon, Olmert confirmed his intention to hold talks with Abbas, Haaretz reported.
Separately, the Jordanian and Egyptian foreign ministers met with Israeli officials in Jerusalem Wednesday to promote an Arab League proposal involving peace with all Arab countries in exchange for an Israeli withdrawal from all land occupied in 1967 and the return of Palestinian refugees.
Bethlehem – Ma'an – Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert is ready to negotiate with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, as long as the talks are limited to relatively uncontroversial issues, the Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported Wednesday. The Palestinian Authority said though they have not yet received the proposal, they are ready to negotiate.
Olmert wants to hammer out a general "Agreement of Principles," which will address core territorial issues, as a prerequisite to negotiations on final status issues such as borders, the status of Jerusalem, and the fate of Palestinian refugees.
Abbas' media advisor Nabil Amr issued a statement saying, "We don’t have any official offer from Olmert and we don’t have any copy of his suggestions which Haaretz published, but we are very ready to deal with it and start negotiations regarding final status issues immediately in a secret or public way."
Amr also expressed hope that the Haaretz report reflects the wish of the Israeli government and people to find a solution to the conflict on the basis of the Arab League peace initiative and the long-neglected Roadmap for Peace proposed by US President Bush.
Haaretz reported that the any preliminary agreement is likely to include the establishment of a Palestinian state on 90% of West Bank land and all of the Gaza Strip. A land swap would compensate Palestine for land taken up by Israeli settlements. A tunnel would connect the West Bank to the Gaza Strip. Olmert is said to want to withdraw to the Israeli security fence, not to the pre-1967 Green Line.
Olmert's reported offer is seen as a modest step intended to boost domestic support his own government, and to increase support among Palestinians for Abbas' caretaker government.
At a press conference Wednesday afternoon, Olmert confirmed his intention to hold talks with Abbas, Haaretz reported.
Separately, the Jordanian and Egyptian foreign ministers met with Israeli officials in Jerusalem Wednesday to promote an Arab League proposal involving peace with all Arab countries in exchange for an Israeli withdrawal from all land occupied in 1967 and the return of Palestinian refugees.
posted by HRM Deborah of Israel and the Messenger of Peace at 9:19 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home