ATLANTA, April 29, 2011 (WAFA) - The Carter Center Friday described Wednesday's reconciliation agreement between Fatah and Hamas as historic, according to a Center statement.

“The Carter Center congratulates the Government of Egypt for their success in brokering the historic intra-Palestinian reconciliation agreement announced on April 27,” said the statement.

“The Carter Center further commends the representatives of Fatah and Hamas for having the vision to begin the process of reunifying the Palestinian people,” it added.

The statement said that the agreement provides a framework for resolving long-standing issues regarding reform of the Palestine Liberation Organization, Palestinian governance, elections, human rights abuses, and the security sector.

“Now, the challenge will be implementing the agreement on the ground,” it said.

Former US President Jimmy Carter said, “This agreement, and the promise of elections in the next twelve months, has the potential to arrest the spiral of intra-Palestinian human rights violations and preserve Palestinian democracy. It can also lead to a leadership representing all Palestinians capable of negotiating peace with Israel.”

He said that “based on my years of contacts with Fatah and Hamas, I am confident that, if handled creatively and flexibly by the international community, Hamas’ return to unified Palestinian governance can increase the likelihood of a two-state solution and a peaceful outcome. I encourage the international community to respect this decision by the Palestinian leadership and to view it as part of the larger democratic trend sweeping the region.”

M.A.