Sarkozy expresses support for Abbas

French President Nicolas Sarkozy expressed his support to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in a telephone conversation on Tuesday, calling on the Fatah party leader to persist on as the presidential election is coming.

The French president "encouraged Abbas to continue his action in the service of the Palestinians and of peace, and assured him of France's active support to achieve a real revival of peace process on the basis agreed by international communities," the Elysee Palace said in a statement summing up the telephone conversation.

On Oct. 24, Abbas decreed to hold the Palestinian presidential and legislative elections in the West Bank, Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem in January 2010. However, Hamas, Fatah's main rival which rules the Gaza Strip, rejected Abbas' call and insisted inter-reconciliation prior to elections.

Last Thursday, Abbas revealed he was not interested in running in the elections and said he has more procedures to take, which was echoed by a Monday report on a Palestinian newspaper that Abbas is considering quitting if elections are not held as he decreed.

Source: Xinhua