WEST BANK: U.S. Middle East envoy George Mitchell meets with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas

Record ID: 561561

  • Title: WEST BANK: U.S. Middle East envoy George Mitchell meets with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas
  • Date: 24th April 2010
  • Summary: RAMALLAH, WEST BANK (APRIL 23, 2010) (REUTERS) **QUALITY AS INCOMING** **FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY** CAR CONVOY CARRYING U.S. ENVOY GEORGE MITCHELL ARRIVING AT PALESTINIAN PRESIDENTIAL HEADQUARTERS MITCHELL GETTING OUT OF VEHICLE PALESTINIAN NEGOTIATOR SAEB EREKAT GREETING MITCHELL, APPROACHING MICROPHONE CAMERAMAN (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. MIDDLE EAST ENVOY GEORGE MITCHELL SAYING: "The United States shares the commitment of President Abbas and Prime Minister Fayyad and the entire Palestinian leadership in the establishment of a viable independent Palestinian state with contiguous territory in which the Palestinian people can exercise their right of self-determination." PALESTINIAN FLAG FLYING (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. MIDDLE EAST ENVOY GEORGE MITCHELL SAYING: "The United States is committed to a just, lasting and comprehensive peace in the Middle East, that includes a settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict that results in two states: Israel and Palestine, in which both the Israeli people and the Palestinian people can live in peace and security and realise the aspirations for a better life for their children." DELEGATES WALKING INTO BUILDING MITCHELL SHAKING HANDS WITH PALESTINIAN PRESIDENT MAHMOUD ABBAS DELEGATES SEATED MITCHELL AND ABBAS MEETING ABBAS MITCHELL WIDE OF MEETING
  • Embargoed: 9th May 2010 13:00
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  • Reuters ID: LVAB5MO4I280TTNSNYF5H6Y77WZX
  • Story Text: U.S. Middle East envoy George Mitchell meets with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, endorses Palestinian independence aspirations.
    U.S. Middle East envoy George Mitchell issued a strong endorsement of Palestinian independence aspirations on Friday (April 23) before going into talks with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in the West Bank city of Ramallah.
    "The United States shares the commitment of President Abbas and Prime Minister Fayyad and the entire Palestinian leadership in the establishment of a viable independent Palestinian state with contiguous territory in which the Palestinian people can exercise their right of self-determination," he told reporters.
    Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. President Barack Obama have been sharply at odds over Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, land Palestinians want for their state. Abbas refuses to resume talks suspended in December 2008 until settlements stop.
    Mitchell is seeking Netanyahu's response to Obama's request for certain confidence-building measures to persuade Abbas to enter "proximity" talks.
    The suggestions were handed to the Israeli leader at a low-profile meeting with Obama a month ago.
    "The United States is committed to a just, lasting and comprehensive peace in the Middle East, that includes a settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict that results in two states: Israel and Palestine, in which both the Israeli people and the Palestinian people can live in peace and security and realise the aspirations for a better life for their children," Mitchell added.
    The envoy has visited the region over a dozen times in the past year without managing to revive talks stalled for 16 months now over the Palestinian demand for a total settlement freeze that Israel rejects as an unacceptable precondition.
    Abbas has dismissed a partial, 10-month moratorium on construction ordered by Netanyahu five months ago.
    Netanyahu said on Thursday (April 22) he would not freeze building in East Jerusalem, captured from Jordan in 1967 and annexed as part of Israel's capital in a move not recognised internationally.
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