BETHLEHEM, May 16, 2011 (WAFA) – Visiting Italian President Giorgio Napolitano announced Monday during a press conference in Bethlehem with President Mahmoud Abbas the upgrading of the Palestinian representative office in Rome to the level of delegation.
He said the head of the delegation will be given the status of ambassador.
The Italian president said this decision is proof of Italy’s good ties with the Palestinian Authority and people and of its commitment to a peaceful settlement in the Middle East.
Abbas thanked his Italian counterpart for this decision, also stressing the good relations between Palestine and Italy.
“I am happy to hear this,” he said, “which reflects the deep relations between us.”
He said he will repeat this gratitude to the Italian prime minister when he meets him at the end of this month.
In his opening statement, Abbas said that the occupation is the worse that could happen to any people. He said that “Israeli settlements deepen occupation and make it impossible to resume negotiations.”
However, he said, he accepts the communiqué Britain, Germany, France, Italy and Spain have made following the February Security Council resolution on settlements to return to negotiations.
He said that he hopes United States President Barack Obama will give a push forward to the peace process when he makes his address on the Middle East next week. The peace process should be based on the road map.
He said there is still time for Obama to help resume negotiations if he takes a clear stand from Israel’s settlement activities and its refusal to accept the international resolution as the bases for these talks.
Napolitano said his country wants to see peace talks resume as soon as possible, expressing strong support for the peace process.
He said he expects the new Palestinian government will agree to the quartet conditions, which call for recognizing Israel and renouncing violence.
Abbas said that Hamas, which is part of the Palestinian people, “does not impose its views on the Palestinian government or the PLO.”
M.A.
