WEST BANK: U.S. peace envoy George Mitchell meets with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas
Record ID:
563070
WEST BANK: U.S. peace envoy George Mitchell meets with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas
- Title: WEST BANK: U.S. peace envoy George Mitchell meets with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas
- Date: 8th May 2010
- Summary: RAMALLAH, WEST BANK (MAY 7, 2010) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF PALESTINIAN PRESIDENTIAL COMPOUND PALESTINIAN FLAG CONVOY CARRYING U.S ENVOY TO THE MIDDLE EAST GEORGE MITCHELL ARRIVING TO PALESTINIAN PRESIDENTIAL COMPOUND PALESTINIAN FLAG PALESTINIAN REPRESENTATIVES GREETING MITCHELL AND ENTERING BUILDING PALESTINIAN PRESIDENT MAHMOUD ABBAS AND MITCHELL AT MEETING ABBAS DURING MEETING REPRESENTATIVES MITCHELL DURING MEETING MORE OF MEETING
- Embargoed: 23rd May 2010 13:00
- Keywords:
- Reuters ID: LVAEC1WZ99MSAXJJVZ51RDWXK5G0
- Story Text: United States peace envoy George Mitchell met Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Friday (May 7) ahead of expected indirect peace talks with the Israelis.
The United States expects to reconvene Israeli-Palestinian peace talks in an indirect format in the coming days, a U.S. spokesman said on Wednesday (May 5), after a first meeting between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Mitchell that lasted some three hours.
An Israeli political source speaking on condition of anonymity said an expected announcement of "proximity" talks had not been made on Wednesday because Abbas had not formally stated his agreement to join them.
Abbas, who received a nod from the Arab League last week for the U.S.-brokered talks, was awaiting formal approval from the Palestine Liberation Organisation's (PLO) Executive Committee, scheduled to meet on Saturday (May 8), before he takes part, his spokesman, Nabil Abu Rdainah, said earlier.
Israeli leaders have said the Palestinians can raise core issues in the indirect talks but only direct negotiations can resolve them.
The indirect format for talks would involve Mitchell shuttling between the two sides.
Washington opted for this method of negotiation after failing to narrow differences over Jewish settlements built in occupied land enough to resume face-to-face talks, which the two sides have not held in 18 months.
The period without peace talks has included Israel's Gaza war, election of a right-wing Israeli government and entrenched rule in the Gaza Strip by Hamas Islamists opposed to the U.S. peace efforts. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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