Ma'an News Agency
July 7, 2011 - 12:00am
http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=403129


PLO official Saeb Erekat said Wednesday that Palestinians would continue the bid for the UN to recognize an independent Palestinian state, after meeting US officials in Washington DC.

The former chief negotiator said the US had demanded they withdraw their appeal, Israeli news site Ynet reported.

But in a press conference Erekat stressed that the resolution, planned for September, does not contradict renewing currently stalled peace negotiations with Israel.

Erekat said the coming meeting of the Middle East Quartet -- the diplomatic body pursuing peace talks between Israelis and Palestinians -- would not "invent the wheel."

The decision to push ahead at the UN will be taken at the Arab League follow up committee meeting in Cairo on 16 July, Erekat said, noting that according to UN procedures Palestinians should submit the application by end July for the September vote.

The PLO officials met with US President Barack Obama's acting Middle East envoy David Hale and senior US diplomat Dennis Ross in the US capital on Wednesday.

State department spokesperson department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said the officials renewed US objections to the Palestinian plan during the meeting.

"Our goal is to get these parties back to the table, and our position on the idea of a UN action in September remains that it's not a good idea, that it's not helpful," she told reporters.




TAGS:



American Task Force on Palestine - 1634 Eye St. NW, Suite 725, Washington DC 20006 - Telephone: 202-262-0017