Abbas: Main objective achieved in Mideast conference

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Source: CCTV.com | 12-02-2007 15:20

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas says his side has achieved its main objective at the US-brokered Mideast conference. More meetings are expected in Moscow and Paris.

Abbas made the comments in Cairo, after meeting Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.

Earlier in the US city of Annapolis, Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert agreed to try to forge a peace treaty and create a Palestinian state by the end of 2008.

Abbas said, "All we wanted was to reach the point of launching negotiations, which will start on the 12th of this month with the forming of negotiating committees and the start of the process. Of course, the negotiating committees include the final status issues, those being Jerusalem, the borders, refugees, among others."

Abbas also said while the Palestinians have been given no guarantees about the outcome of the planned negotiations, they are encouraged by the broad international support they've received for the talks.

Abbas said, "There is an international community, there are 50 bodies, states, and institutions, who gathered in Annapolis, and all of them were speaking with one voice: they want peace."

Abbas also said he opposed Israel's calling itself a "Jewish State," because there are also many non-Jews living in the country.

Editor:Zhang Ning