Abbas to discuss with Sharon about Palestinian parliamentary elections: Erekat

Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas would discuss Palestinian parliamentary elections due on Jan. 25 with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon during their potential meeting scheduled on Oct. 2, Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekata revealed on Tuesday.

Erekat told reporters that Abbas would discuss with Sharon the latest Israeli statements related to the Palestinian legislative elections, which indicates an Israeli interference into internal Palestinian affairs.

Israeli Foreign Minister Sylvan Shalom reiterated on Monday that his government will try to impede Palestinian elections if the radical Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) takes part.

Palestinian daily newspaper Al-Ayyam quoted Erekat as saying that Abbas is also scheduled to discuss several important issues with Sharon, mainly negotiations on the final statues issues such as Jerusalem, borders, refugees and water.

Erekat added that Abbas would raise the issue of the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza Strip and urged that Gaza Strip would not be first and last pullout.

Abbas would stressed that there must be future pullouts from West Bank and Jerusalem, Erekat said.

The chief Palestinian negotiator vowed that Israel has to pull out from the areas that were occupied on 1967, as to be able to establishing a Palestinian state with whole sovereignty and Jerusalem as its capital according to the international legitimacy.

Erekat said that there is a fear from turning Gaza Strip into a big prison, therefore Abbas would demand to complete Palestinian control on terminals and airport and lifting the restrictions imposed on transportation between Gaza Strip and West Bank.

President Abbas will also assert on the importance to stop the Israeli settlements activities in West Bank and to stop building the separation wall, he said.

Source: Xinhua