Palestinian Leader to visit Syria, India and Sri Lanka

Ahead of an Asian tour that will take him to Syria, India and Sri Lanka, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas confirmed the Palestinian leadership will continue the peace process, regardless of who rules in Tel Aviv and Washington, “until a Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital is established,” according to statements he made at a joint news conference with visiting French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner in the West Bank city of Ramallah on Saturday.

According to his spokesman, Nabil Abu Rdeina, the Palestinian leader heads to Syria on October 12 for talks with Syrian President Bashar el-Assad.

On Thursday he is expected in Sri Lanka for talks with President Mahinda Rajapaksa. Meanwhile India is preparing for the “state visit” of Abbas from October 6 to 9, according to Indian media.

Abu Rdeina told the official news agency WAFA on Saturday that Abbas is also scheduled to meet with visiting U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in Ramallah soon, reportedly on mid October. Abbas and Prime Minister Salam Fayyad held talks with visiting French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner in Ramallah and Jenin respectively on Saturday.

“We emphasized that we are continuing this process, whether it is with the outgoing prime minister, Olmert, or with Livni, if she forms her government, and also with the new (U.S.) administration, which we hope will handle this (the negotiations) immediately and directly, and that time won’t be wasted, as it was wasted before,” he told reporters.

Palestine Media Centre