RAMALLAH, July 2, 2011 (WAFA) - President Mahmoud Abbas Saturday urged the Middle East quartet, which includes the United States, the European Union, Russia and the United Nations, to adopt clear legal terms of reference for the negotiations, stressing that the United States should not be allowed to veto its decisions.
He said in an interview broadcast on Voice of Palestine radio marking 17 years since its inception, that the quartet, which is expected to meet in Washington on July 11, should adopt clear terms of reference for the negotiations.
“It is not possible that three members agree on everything then comes the US and vetoes them,” he said.
He said that all the Palestinians were asking for to resume negotiations is for Israel to accept the 1967 borders as the base for negotiations and to stop all settlement activities in the occupied Palestinian Territory.
“This came in the French initiative presented to us by Foreign Minister Alain Juppe and which Israel had rejected,” he said.
Abbas said that he is seeking UN recognition of a Palestinian state in September because he does not have other choices left.
“We say to the world: We are for negotiations first, second and third. It is our choice. Therefore, we want the world to stand by what is right and by the best way to reach negotiations,” he said.
He said that if there were some countries in this world that do not want the Palestinians to approach the UN for a solution, then “we will ask them, what other choices can you offer us? You have failed to convince Israel to resume negotiations, and you are against us going to the UN. Show us a third way, or tell us where we went wrong, with what and when so that we can reconsider our step.”
Abbas said that 117 countries have recognized the Palestinian state, stressing that within a month the number will rise to 130, “which is more than those who recognize Israel.”
He was referring to Palestinian efforts to get support from two-thirds of the UN member states for recognition of a Palestinian state within the 1967 borders in September and for gaining full membership of the UN.
He said that “130 or 117 countries recognize us, and we are not a state. We want an independent state living side-by-side with the State of Israel. What is wrong with that? We want any country in this world, from Australia to America, to tell us what is wrong with that.”
Abbas said reconciliation efforts with Hamas have not reached a deadlock over the structure of the new government.
“This government is my government and it should follow my policy,” he said. “Hamas, unfortunately, does not understand this. This is not a national unity government where eveyone will participate in it.”
He said that he will not accept that anyone tells him he wants this person or that for prime minister or for foreign minister, suggesting that names can be proposed, but that he will study them and decide on “who is the right person for the right place.”
Abbas said that he was still for reconciliation, stressing that “they (Hamas) do not understand that we are at a very sensitive and critical juncture. We are going to a very fierce battle at the UN. … If they do not understand this, then they do not want what is in our interest.”
He said that he wanted to meet Hamas leader Khaled Mishaal in Cairo last month, “but when they tell us we want this person and not that, I said there is no use from this meeting.”
He said, “You do not decide who will be the prime minster or which minister will be here or there. If they do not understand this, there is nothing we can do. We will continue with our efforts and we will not go back or say the reconciliation has failed.”
Abbas said that “I told Hamas and others very frankly that (Prime Minister Salam) Fayyad has enough experience and he is independent. He has been finance minister and prime minister for a number of years. He is the right person for this stage.”
M.A.
