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Palestinians tell Quartet peace talks to resume when Israel stops settlement: Official

15 December 2011 00:50 (UTC +04:00)

Baku-APA. The direct peace talks can only be resumed if Israel stops settlement activities and abide by the two-state solution on 1967 borders, a senior Palestinian official said on Wednesday, APA reports quoting Xinhua.

Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat told Xinhua that the Palestinian side informed representatives of the international Quartet for peace in the Middle East, which comprises the United States, European Union, Russia and United Nations, about the Palestinians’ conditions for resuming the talks with Israel.

Erekat’s comments were made in response to the Quartet’s calls on both Israel and the Palestinians to start a preparatory meeting followed by presenting proposals on the issues of land and security.

"The Palestinian side sticks to the fifth provision in the Quartet’s statement issued in Sept. 23, which calls on the two sides to be committed to the merits of the peace process," said Erekat.

He called on the Quartet to declare who is the party that doesn ’t commit itself to the merits of the Middle East peace process.

The Quartet’s representatives separately met with Israel and Palestinian negotiators earlier Wednesday at the headquarters of the United Nations in Jerusalem, as part of a third round of indirect negotiations between them.

According to Palestinian sources, the Wednesday meeting with the Quartet’s representatives in Jerusalem is part of the 90-day ultimatum the Quartet had given to the two sides to discuss the issues of land and security.

Erekat hadn’t attended the meeting in Jerusalem, as he joined Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in a European tour, including a ceremony at the United Nations Education, Science and Culture Organization (UNESCO) to rise the Palestinian flag at the UN organization.

The Palestinian negotiator Mohamed Ishteya attended the meeting in Jerusalem instead of Erekat, said the sources.

Abbas has earlier said that the Palestinians have no objection to the resumption of peace talks with Israel and finalize the issues of land and security, on condition of halting settlement activities and expressing a commitment to the two-state solution on 1967 borders.