Abbas promises to work toward peace

cctv.com 01-11-2005 09:39

Final results confirm that Fatah frontrunner, Mahmoud Abbas, won with 62.3 percent of the vote. The former Prime Minister pledged to push forward the Middle East peace process and to revive the Palestinian Authority. He was speaking to international observers on Monday night in the West Bank city of Ramallah.

Abbas says winning the election marked a new beginning in the arduous mission of realizing lasting peace. He also promised to battle corruption and to improve efficiency within the Palestinian Liberation Organization. His victory is already being seen as a major turning point in the stalled "road map" peace process. Israel regards Abbas as a negotiation partner and they've also commended his calls to end violence to four years of conflicts. Meanwhile, the Bush Administration has invited Abbas to the White House and offered Washington's support.

UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan has welcomed the election win, saying the vote was an important step in the "historic democratic transition" now underway in the occupied territories. He was also pleased to hear reports that the election to choose a successor to Yasser Arafat was carried out in a politically competitive, but peaceful atmosphere.

At the same time, leaders of the militant Islamic group, Hamas, and the "Movement of Holy War Jihad" have welcomed the election's smooth conclusion. Though both organizations boycotted the vote, they claim to be committed to ensuring the rights of the Palestinians. Toward this end, they said they鈥檇 engage in dialogue with Mahmoud Abbas in a bid to solve domestic disagreements.

Editor:Wang  Source:CCTV.com