Jordan welcomes Mecca agreement

Jordanian Prime Minister Marouf Bakhit on Sunday welcomed the agreement reached by Fatah and Hamas in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, on the formation of a Palestinian National Unity Government.

Speaking at the press conference following his meeting with visiting Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Bakhit said that Jordan "welcomed the Mecca agreement and hoped the Palestinian national unity government would be formed as soon as possible."

He, meanwhile, stressed Jordan's support to the upcoming Palestinian unity government which to be formed with an aim of ending the interior conflict and strengthening the ability of the Palestinian people to get their legitimate rights back.

For his part, Abbas said that the procedures of forming the new government has been kicked off and that he would ask the current Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haneya to submit his resignation.

He expressed his confidence on the abilities of the anticipated new government on fulfilling both internal and external duties.

As for Israel's reaction to the Mecca agreement on forming a new Palestinian government, Abbas said Israel has to deal with the situation no matter what reaction Israel would have, because it's an affair of Palestinians and Arabs.

But he disclosed that a tripartite discussion of future actions would be held on Feb. 19 among President Abbas, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.

Source: Xinhua