- Title: WEST BANK: Gerry Adams meets Palestinian oficials in Ramallah
- Date: 7th September 2006
- Summary: (W3) RAMALLAH, WEST BANK(SEPTEMEBER 6, 2006) (REUTERS) SINN FEIN LEADER GERRY ADAMS ARRIVING AT LATE PALESTINIAN PRESIDENT YASSER ARAFAT'S GRAVE VARIOUS OF ADAMS LAYING WREATH ON GRAVE SECURITY MAN STANDS GUARD AT GRAVE ADAMS STANDING AT GRAVE ADAMS WALKING AWAY
- Embargoed: 22nd September 2006 13:00
- Keywords:
- Topics: International Relations
- Reuters ID: LVACU3IIU4JUROWKJBPB51LG574V
- Story Text: Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams met Palestinian officials in the West Bank city of Ramallah on Wednesday (September 6) and appealed to Palestinians and Israelis to resume peace talks.
"I have come here to learn and to give witness to the plight, particularly of the Palestinian people, and to encourage dialogue, to encourage the Israeli government and the international community to be involved in dialogue," Adams told reporters at the Palestinian presidential compound.
Adams started his visit to Ramallah with a visit to late Palestinian President Yasser Arafat's grave, where he laid a wreath on the memorial.
Later Adams met with the head of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas's head of office Rafik Husseini.
"War is not the only option. Peace is also an option, and dialogue is the process to bring that about," Adams said at a press conference following the meeting.
Adams, president of the political wing of the Irish Republican Army (IRA), also criticised western countries for cutting off funding to the Palestinian government since Hamas formed its government on March.
"I am also hugely critical of the punishment of the Palestinian people on the back of the recent elections here. I think that the European Union and the other Western governments are wrong. Particularly stopping the funding is entirely and absolutely the wrong thing to do," Adams said.
Hamas, an Islamic militant movement sworn to Israel's destruction, is considered a ' terrorist group ' by the United States and the European Union, hence the decision to stop providing funds to the administration it has run since March.
Foreign aid to the Palestinian Authority totalled more than $1 billion a year, so the funding cuts dealt a resounding blow. The Hamas-led government has been unable to pay salaries to most of its 165,000 employees for more than six months.
Adams then travelled to the Palestinian Legislative Council where he met with head of PLC party blocs from various parties including Hassan Khraisheh from Hamas.
Sinn Fein members had asked for Adams to meet the Israeli government but the request was turned down because of the talks with members of Hamas.
Adams told reporters at a press conference held in Jerusalem on Tuesday (September 6) that he would share with the lawmakers his experience of northern Ireland peace process that has led the parliamentary group to renounce violence.
Adams had appealed to Palestinians and Israelis to resume the peace process saying war is no solution to the political problems, calling on leaders to be responsible and take the lead. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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