- Title: France would issue invitations to the peace conference in December - Erekat
- Date: 7th November 2016
- Summary: RAMALLAH, WEST BANK (NOVEMBER 7, 2016) (REUTERS) CONVOY CARRYING FRENCH ENVOY, PIERRE VIMONT, ARRIVING AT PALESTINIAN PRESIDENTIAL COMPOUND VARIOUS OF VIMONT ARRIVING AT PRESIDENTIAL COMPOUND VIMONT SITTING AT PRESIDENTIAL COMPOUND WITH PALESTINIAN PRESIDENT MAHMOUD ABBAS ABBAS SITTING WITH VIMONT OFFICIALS AT MEETING VIMONT AND ABBAS DURING MEETING PALESTINIAN CHIEF NEGOTIATOR, SAEB EREKAT, AT PRESIDENTIAL COMPOUND (SOUNDBITE) (English) PALESTINIAN CHIEF NEGOTIATOR, SAEB EREKAT, SAYING: "As expected, the Israeli government had unequivocally rejected the French initiative, they rejected before to implement agreement signed, they stopped the bilateral track and bi-literal negotiations and they opted to dictation rather than negotiations. This Israeli government is strategising on dictation rather than negotiations. They want to continue with their settlement activities, to repeat doing the two-state solution, believing that they can replace the two-state solution with what we call 'one state, two systems'. One state, two systems, status quo, means apartheid, means apartheid and that what exists out there." PEOPLE AT SCENE (SOUNDBITE) (English) PALESTINIAN CHIEF NEGOTIATOR, SAEB EREKAT, SAYING: "Our deep appreciation for the French and their initiative, and we were officially informed by the French envoy that France intends to issue the invitations for international conference in December before the end of this year." VARIOUS OF VIMONT LEAVING PRESIDENTIAL COMPOUND PEOPLE AT PRESIDENTIAL COMPOUND
- Embargoed: 22nd November 2016 18:42
- Keywords: Israel Palestinians France Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas Saeb Erekat
- Location: RAMALLAH, WEST BANK
- City: RAMALLAH, WEST BANK
- Country: Palestinian Territories
- Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace
- Reuters ID: LVA00157G624N
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Palestinian Chief Negotiator Saeb Erekat said on Monday (November 7) that France is intending to issue the invitations for the international peace conference in December.
He made the announcement following the meeting between Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and the French envoy Pierre Vimont.
Israel earlier on Monday formally rejected France's invitation to take part in a Middle East peace conference in Paris later this year, saying it was a distraction from the goal of direct negotiations with the Palestinians.
At a meeting in Jerusalem with Israel's acting national security adviser and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's diplomatic adviser, Vimont was informed that Israel wanted nothing to do with the effort to revive talks that last broke down in 2014.
"(They) told the French envoy in a clear and unequivocal manner that Israel's position to promote the peace process and reach an agreement will only come through direct negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority," Netanyahu's office said in a statement.
Erekat said that the Israeli government is opted to dictation rather than negotiations with the Palestinians.
"As expected, the Israeli government had unequivocally rejected the French initiative, they rejected before to implement agreement signed, they stopped the bilateral track and bi-literal negotiations and they opted to dictation rather than negotiations. This Israeli government is strategising on dictation rather than negotiations. They want to continue with their settlement activities, to repeat doing the two-state solution, believing that they can replace the two-state solution with what we call 'one state, two systems'. One state, two systems, status quo, means apartheid, means apartheid and that what exists out there," Erekat said.
France has repeatedly tried to breathe new life into the peace process this year, holding a preliminary conference in June where the United Nations, European Union, United States and major Arab countries gathered to discuss proposals without the Israelis or Palestinians present.
The plan was to hold a follow-up conference before year-end with the Israelis and Palestinians involved, and see whether the two sides could be brought back to negotiations. The last, U.S.-backed talks ended in failure in April 2014. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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