Abbas: Israel is Required to Provide Clear, Written Position on Security, Borders

VIENNA, November 28, 2011 (WAFA) - President Mahmoud Abbas said Monday that the Israeli government is required to give a clear and written position regarding the borders and security issues.

In his speech delivered at the Bruno Kreisky Forum for International Dialogue, in Vienna, in the presence of Austrian President Heinz Fischer, Abbas said, “We, international quartet and all the countries concerned with peace, are still waiting for an Israeli clear and written position regarding the issues of security and borders.”

Abbas added that the Palestinians made all efforts to achieve peace with Israel and fulfilled all what were required for the success of all forms of negotiations. PA recently submitted its written positions, regarding the final status issues, in response to the Quartet’s statement issued in September 2011, which called on the parties to present their positions on the borders and security issues within three months ending on January 26, 2011, he said.

He said that the Palestinian spring is “ending the occupation and internal division,” “and we are determined to achieve this as soon as possible.”

Abbas thanked the Bruno Kreisky Forum’s staff for organizing this meeting and praised the late Bruno Kreisky for his leading and historical role in serving truth, justice, peace, democracy and independence, especially the question of Palestinian.

Bruno Kreisky, born in Vienna in 1911 and died in 1990, was an Austrian politician who served as Foreign Minister from 1959 to 1966 and as Chancellor from 1970 to 1983.

A Jewish anti-Zionist, Kreisky was a great champion of the rights of the Palestinian people and the strongest western European critic of Israel. He was the first European leader to meet with PLO leader Yasser Arafat and in 1979 gave an official state dinner in Arafat's honour in Vienna.

Aged 72 at the end of his chancellorship, he was the oldest acting Chancellor after World War II.

He resigned in 1983 not wishing to head a coalition government after his party had lost ground in the elections.

Palestine News & Info Agency - WAFA