Albania hosts MWL chief for Eid sermon at largest mosque in the Balkans    Saudi Arabia launches pavilion at Bologna International Book Fair 2025    Rare Kaaba interior coverings showcased at Islamic Arts Biennale in Jeddah    Haramain High-Speed Railway transports over 1.2 million passengers during Ramadan    Marine Le Pen sentenced to prison, barred from office over EU funds embezzlement    UK returns over 24,000 migrants as Starmer scraps Rwanda deportation plan    Missing US soldiers' armored vehicle recovered from Lithuanian swamp    Myanmar declares seven days of national mourning after devastating earthquake    Saudi Transport Authority says passengers can ride for free if taxi meters are off    Ministry of Education forms 425 community partnerships with SR653 million impact    Defense, interior, and national guard ministers extend Eid greetings, praise efforts of military and security personnel    Mexico bans junk food in schools to fight childhood obesity epidemic    Elon Musk's xAI acquires X in all-stock deal    Sweet sales surge ahead of Eid as Saudi chocolate imports top 123 million kg in 2024    Saudi creatives shine at Jeddah's Fawanees Nights with art, fashion, and storytelling    100 Thieves claim Marvel Rivals Invitational NA crown as 2025 scene heats up    T1 CEO confirms Gumayusi's return for LCK Spring after lineup shakeup    Bollywood actress vindicated over boyfriend's death after media hounding    Saudi Arabia hold Japan to goalless draw in Saitama to stay in World Cup hunt    NewJeans announces hiatus after setback in court battle    George Foreman, heavyweight champion and cultural icon, dies at 76    Grand Mufti rules against posting prayers and preaching in mosques on social media    King Salman prays for peace and stability for Palestinians in Ramadan message King reaffirms Saudi Arabia's commitment to serving the Two Holy Mosques and pilgrims    Bollywood star Saif Ali Khan 'out of danger' after attack at home in Mumbai    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Abbas, Mitchell agree length of indirect talks with Israel
Published in Saudi Press Agency on 08 - 05 - 2010


Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and US
Mideast envoy George Mitchell agreed Saturday that indirect talks
with Israel would last four months and focus on security matters and
the borders of a future Palestinian state, Palestinian negotiator
Saeb Erekat said, according to dpa.
Abbas told Mitchell the Palestinians were ready to resume the US-
mediated proximity talks, Erekat informed reporters after a meeting
between the two men in Ramallah.
Erekat said core issues such as the status of Jerusalem and Jewish
settlements would be part of the discussions on a future Palestinian
state within the borders that include East Jerusalem.
The meeting came after the Palestine Liberation Organization's
(PLO) executive and Fatah central committee gave the green light to
the resumption of indirect talks.
"The decision was made in order to give the peace process and the
efforts of the US another opportunity," PLO executive member Yasser
Abed Rabbu said, adding that "US guarantees offered to the
Palestinians were the main reason" for backing the talks.
Those guarantees include the US taking "a firm political position
against any provocation - such as settlement activities in the
occupied territories," Rabbu said.
The talks between Palestinians and US envoy were to continue
Sunday, following which Mitchell was set to return to Washington.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Israeli television
Saturday he hoped the proximity talks would swiftly lead to direct
negotiations.
Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak also welcomed the Palestinian
approval of the talks, but said only responsibility and courageous
decisions from both sides "will make it possible to get to direct
negotiations and a breakthrough towards an agreement."
However, Israel wants to postpone discussions on Jerusalem and
other highly sensitive issues to a later stage of the talks, and to
start with other matters, including security and water.
Israeli President Shimon Peres told Mitchell Friday that the issue
of security was highly important "especially against the background
of the (Israeli) army's withdrawal from Gaza and the evacuation of
settlements at the end of which thousands of rockets were fired at
Israeli communities," according to a statement from his office.
The Islamic Hamas movement, which has governed the Gaza Strip
since 2007, urged Palestinians to reject the "absurd proximity
talks", saying they would "give the Israeli occupation an umbrella to
commit more crimes against the Palestinians."
The proximity talks are the first between Israelis and
Palestinians in 17 months. The last round was suspended in December
2008 when Israel headed for new elections.
Since the return of Netanyahu's Likud to power in March 2009 the
US administration has increased its diplomatic efforts to bring both
sides to the negotiating table.
Mitchell, who was previously involved in the Northern Ireland
peace negotiations, is to make intermittent visits to Jerusalem and
Ramallah over the next four months.


Clic here to read the story from its source.