Independent Palestinian State:

Abbas reiterates his stance

Egypt: The Palestinian National Authority (PNA) President Mahmoud Abbas, reiterated to his Egyptian counterpart Hosni Mubarak the wish to recognize an independent Palestinian State, supported by an Arab peace initiative.

Abbas met with Mubarak at the Egyptian Presidencial headquarters on Tuesday and recalled the recent support given by the Arab League to the PNA to persist with the creation of a State without waiting to resume talks at standstill with Israel.

The Palestinian President said that proposal is included in the Arab Peace Initiative, presented by Saudi Arabia at the summit of that community in Beirut (2002) and adopted in the 2007 Riad meeting.

That plan tries to put an end to the Arab-Israel conflict through the group recognition of the Israeli State in return for its withdrawal from the occupied territories during the Six Days War against some Arab nations, in June, 1967.

Abbas also said that his Government will appeal to the United Nations Security Council so that the organization could adopt a resolution for the recognition of the Palestinian State on the borders established in 1967, always with the support of the 22 Arab League member nations.

The PNA tactically rejected the plan of Israeli Ex Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz to create a state with provisional borders.

Regarding the Palestinian unity issue, Abbas praised a reconciliation initiative proposed by Egypt and criticized Hamas group for refusing to sign it, as long as there is no agreement in the right to the armed resistance to the Israeli occupation. Cairo, Prensa Latina