BERLIN, February 23, 2007 (WAFA) -President Mahmoud Abbas stressed Friday the necessity to lift the siege imposed upon the Palestinian people after the signing of the Mecca agreement which led to the formation of the upcoming unity government.

In a joint press conference following his meeting with the German Chancellor Angela Merkel at the Chancellery, President Abbas said "we are with peace to give hope for the peoples of the region, peace which is based on the two-state solution, the international legitimacy, President Bush vision and the Road Map."

He added that importance of Mecca agreement lies in ending the Palestinian bloodshed as it also smoothes the progress of the Palestinian-Palestinian and Palestinian-Israeli dialogue.

Regarding his talks with the Merkel, President Abbas said they discussed a number of issues including the reviving a meaningful peace process with the Israeli side, the Mecca agreement, the formation of a national unity government and the issue of the arrested Israeli soldier as well as the Palestinian prisoners.

For her part, Chancellor Merkel welcomed the formation of a Palestinian National Unity Government as being agreed upon by the leaders of the Palestinian factions of Hamas and Fatah in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, earlier this month.

Merkel thanked President Abbas for his constant commitment to the peace process in the Middle East and expressed her relief about the end of the blood shed in the Palestinian territories.

Merkel welcomed the recent bilateral talks between Palestinian President Abbas and Israel's Prime Minister Ehud Olmert adding that Berlin would support all efforts aimed at reviving the peace process.

She reiterated that the final aim of all peace efforts remains the two-state solution with Israel and Palestine peacefully living side by side.

A.D (17:40P) (15:40GMT)