LONDON, January 16, 2012 (WAFA) - President Mahmoud Abbas Monday said “ the function of the Palestinian Authority is to deliver Palestinians from occupation to independence,” addressing the Parliamentarians House of Commons and in the presence of Richard Ottaway, chairman of the foreign affairs committee, and minister for foreign and commonwealth affairs, Alistair Burt.
On the peace process Abbas said, “We are currently engaged under the auspices of His Majesty King Abdullah II of Jordan, and the members of the Quartet, in order to find common grounds to resume negotiations.”
He added that “last Saturday, January 14, 2012, we had our third meeting with the Israeli delegation in Amman with the participation of Jordan and the Quartet (sometimes).”
He said, “We did present our comprehensive positions on borders and security as specified by the Quartet's Statement of September 23, 2011. “ “So far the Israeli side did not present their positions. They presented one page with 21 headlines.”
“In order for negotiations to resume and succeed (failure is not an option for us), the Israeli Government must stop Settlement Activities, and accept the principle of two states on the 1967 lines, with mutually agreed swaps in size and value,” Abbas said.
He added, “These are not Palestinian conditions; these are Israeli obligations emanating from the Road Map.”
He said, “The Israeli Government must release prisoners. (Agreement with Olmert).Next March we will celebrate the 10th anniversary of Arab Peace Initiative. We all must preserve and maintain this initiative, which is the most important political development vis-à-vis peacemaking efforts from Arab and Muslim Countries since 1948.”
Regarding the Palestinian Reconciliation Abbas stated: “We need to end the division and the coup-d'état in Gaza Strip.We cannot achieve peace without ending the division, because West-Bank, including, East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip must be a single territorial unit.”
He said, “The Israeli Government asked: How can we make peace with the Palestinians while the West Bank and Gaza Strip are divided?” “Then when we began the reconciliation the Israeli Government said: Abu-Mazen must choose between Israel and Hamas!”
He added, “My Choice is clear: Hamas is a part of the Palestinian people, and Israel is our partner in peace. Israel must make the choice: settlements or peace. When we differ in the future as Palestinians, we must resort to ballot boxes and not bullet boxes.”
He said, “We are doing our best to have presidential, legislative, and Palestinian National Council elections by May 2012,” he said.
He also said, “When we form a Government it will not be a government of national Unity, i.e. Hamas, Fatah and other factions. It will be a government of independents and technocrats, to carry out the elections.” “It will be a Government that will accept my program, of two states; agreements signed, and renounce violence.”
“Egypt is exerting every possible effort in order for the reconciliation to succeed,” said Abbas.
Concerning the United Nations and its agencies President Abass said: “Our application, for membership is with the Security Council. We do not intend to isolate or delegitimize Israel.”
The president added, “We want to preserve the two states solution on the 1967 lines. The state of Palestine to live side by side with the State of Israel in peace and security.”
“We do not understand why our membership harms the prospects of peace?. We do not comprehend those nations who said they will not vote for our membership. Voting for Palestine's membership on the 1967 lines is a vote for the two states solution and peace,” he said.
Regarding the settlement activities Abbas said: “The current Israeli Government has increased the settlement activities, in the West-Bank including East-Jerusalem by 19% in 2011. (Distribute Charts with the primer and the Arab Peace Initiative.”
He said that “settler's violence against Palestinians increased by 40% in 2011. This violence include: Killing innocent Palestinians, torching Mosques, burning trees, houses, cars.”
“The Israeli Government has a choice between: Settlements and peace, I hope it will choose peace,” said Abbas.
On the issue of the Palestinian institution building President Abbas said: “I would like to thank Great Britain, for its generous assistance to develop our institutions in all domains.”
He added, “The World Bank report- September 2011 noted: “Palestinian institutions in all domains, including, democracy, human rights, women's right, fighting corruption, education, health, security, reform etc. is more advanced than all similar state institution in the Middle-East, North Africa and beyond.”
Regarding the changes in the Arab world Abbas said: “Democracy and peace are the basic foundations for stability in our region.We must all respect the democratic choice of the Arab people. Everyone must ask the question: What can we do to make the right people win?”Palestine News & Info Agency - WAFA
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