NEW YORK, February 8, 2007, (WAFA)- Secretary of the PLO Executive Committee, Yasser Abd Rabbu and Head of the PLO Negotiation Affairs Department , Dr. Saeb Ereikat, met Thursday with David Welch, the US Assistant Secretary for Near Eastern Affairs in New York.

The meeting aimed at preparations for Abbas-Rice-Olmert imminent meeting on February 19.

During the meeting, the Palestinian side asserted on the necessity of launching negotiations for comprehensive peace leading to ending the Israeli occupation of lands occupied in 1967.

They also affirmed that the negotiations should lead to a just solution of the refugees issue, based on the UN resolution 194.

Abd Rabbu and Ereikat reiterated that any future negotiations should based on the Arab Peace Initiative and to ignore the so called the temporary Palestinian state.

S.A.S. (15:31 P) (13:31 GMT)