Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekatsaid on Monday that a Palestinian statehood will not come into being during U.S. President George W. Bush's term, citing Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice remarks.
Erekat told Voice of Palestine radio that "I was expecting Riceto say eight months instead of 14 because we know that in August 2008 the American presidency electoral campaigns will kick off."
Israeli and Palestinian negotiation crews are in talks over theagreement and they hope to put it forward before an upcoming U.S.-hosted peace conference this month. But Rice said Sunday that the timetable needed to implement an Israeli-Palestinian framework agreement would last for 14 months.
Erekat said "Bush knows the American political life and so he has to settle things before the electoral campaigns start."
President Bush has called for holding a peace conference to revive Israeli-Palestinian peace process after years of freezing.
Erekat asserted that the U.S.-host Annapolis peace conference must not start from the beginning, adding the international resolutions and peace plans, including Bush vision of two states, have agreed in calling for an end to the Israeli occupation and the creation of the Palestinian state inside the 1967 borders.
On preparation for the conference, Erekat said that Rice will meet Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad Monday and then the head of the Palestinian negotiation team Ahmed Qurei before meeting President Mahmoud Abbas.
"The way to Annapolis is the implementation of the Israeli commitments, especially the first phase of the Road Map," and "We want the U.S. administration to officially give us our commitmentsthat we will apply and show the world who will abide by his commitments," Erekat urged.
Meanwhile, Erekat has condemned the Israeli raids in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank "while there is a peace debate," saying the Israeli procedures against the Hamas-run Gaza Strip "are meantto increase pressure on the Palestinians."
Source: Xinhua
|
Comment
Tell A Friend
Print Format
Save Article