Mahmoud Abbas backs Ehud Olmert peace talks

Published: 17th January 2006

RAMALLAH: Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas said he regards Israel`s Acting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert as a man he can do business with as it emerged yesterday that he will not run for re-election. One year on from his election as president of the Palestinian Authority, Abbas said he would use his remaining three years in office to strive towards the creation of a Palestinian state, and restore law and order.


He conceded, however, that his ruling Fatah faction was facing a major challenge from Hamas at this month`s parliamentary elections while defending the radical Islamist movement`s participation in the vote.

Since an acrimonious summit in June, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon declined to meet Abbas. But his collapse on January 4 with a brain haemorrhage has opened up the possibility that top-level ties could be resumed.
 
Abbas had expressed fears about the impact of Sharon`s demise on the peace process.
But in an interview published in Palestinian newspapers yesterday, he gave an upbeat assessment of Sharon`s stand-in who is expected to lead the centrist Kadima party to victory at a March general election.

Abbas said he formed a positive view of Olmert when the pair held talks while attending a summit in Barcelona.
 
"I have dealt with him and I know him well. He has his positions and his views but we will deal with him without any preconceptions," Abbas said in an interview published in the three main Palestinian dailies.
Meanwhile, militants in Gaza have rejected a Palestinian Authority plan to put their weapons in storage during next week`s parliamentary election as a way to reduce the risk of violence, Palestinian Interior Minister Nasser Yousef said yesterday.
 
He said a proposal had been made for factions in Gaza to collect their own weapons just before the ballot and put them into a storage area to which they would have one key and the Palestinian Authority another.
 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
Source: 2005 Gulf Daily News