Monday, January 16, 2012

Abbas to Cameron: Britain Qualified to Play Key Role in Middle East

LONDON, January 16, 2012 (WAFA) - President Mahmoud Abbas Monday said that Britain’s balanced relations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority are important and qualify it more than any other country to play a key political role in the Middle East.
During a meeting with British Prime Minister David Cameron in London, Abbas said that Palestinians always need the British role, as they need its assistance.”
He added that the two-state-solution must be reached through negotiations, expressing hope that the meeting in Jordan between Palestinian and Israeli negotiators will have a positive outcome.
“we know that time is very important and precious and that we must work fast because the continuation of settlement activities hinders all efforts exerted to reach the two state solution, therefore we will always demand the halt of all settlement activities so that we may comfortably negotiate with the Israeli side to agree on a Palestinian state that lives side by side with Israel in security and stability,” said Abbas.
The bilateral relations between the two countries as well as the latest developments in the region, particularly the Palestinian issue were also discussed in the meeting.
Abbas thanked Cameron for his positions and said, “ I thank you very much for your stances in supporting the political solution through the vision of two states in the region…you have played an important role in building the state’s institutions and are playing one through your generous aids to the PA.”
On his part, Cameron said: “We believe the peace talks that began in Jordan do provide an opportunity we hope that both sides assume.”
He added, “We want to see strong democratic peaceful Israel alongside a strong democratic and peaceful Palestine, we believe that is achievable but we can’t achieve it without the two parties coming together and talking and discussing. In the end this two-state solution can only come alive when the two parties talk to each other; we will do anything we can to help promote these discussions.”
He said that hope is running for the two state-solution “unless we can push this matter forward because otherwise the facts on the ground can make it more and more difficult; this is why the settlement issue remains so important.”
“We hope the talks can continue and we hope the two state-solution that we strongly support to be achieved, we say that as a friend of Israel and a very strong friend of the Palestinian people and the authority and as a major donor to the authority and the institutions that it is successfully building,” Cameron concluded.
Palestine News & Info Agency - WAFA

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