RAMALLAH (Ma'an) -- President Mahmoud Abbas will travel to Britain, Germany and Russia next week, presidential spokesman Nabil Abu Rdainah said on Thursday.
Abbas will meet with British Prime Minister David Cameron, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev during the tour, Rdainah told official Palestinian Authority news agency Wafa.
Rdainah emphasized that the three countries are members of the UN Security Council, indicating that diplomacy around the stalled bid for UN membership may be ongoing.
He also indicated that the president will discuss recent talks in Amman between Palestinian and Israeli envoys.
The visit is part of efforts "to consult and coordinate the position with the leaders of these countries ... to save what remains of the peace process," he said.
Palestinian officials say they cannot return to direct negotiations until Israel halts building settlements on land necessary for a viable, independent state.
Rdainah said the Abbas' tour would underline the "clear" Palestinian position on ending settlement construction and recognition of the 1967 borders as the basis of a future Palestinian state.
"There is no doubt that during the next two weeks many things will crystallize on the Palestinian arena," he added.
The Quartet set a Jan. 26 deadline for the sides to present borders and security proposals, but Abbas said on Thursday that the PLO proposal has not received an Israeli response.
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