Palestinian Minister Hails Saudi Peace Plan

Home>>World

Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Saturday, March 02, 2002

Palestinian Minister Hails Saudi Peace Plan

Visiting Palestinian Minister of Local Government Affairs Saeb Erekat on Friday hailed the recent Saudi initiative as the most significant Arab plan since the Madrid Mideast peace conference.

DISCUSSION

CHINESE

SEND TO FRIEND

Visiting Palestinian Minister of Local Government Affairs Saeb Erekat on Friday hailed the recent Saudi initiative as the most significant Arab plan since the Madrid Mideast peace conference.

During a meeting with Jordanian Foreign Minister Marwan Moasher, Erekat also said the peace initiative sends a crystal-clear Arab message that Arabs adhere to peace as a strategic option, Jordan's official Petra news agency reported.

He commended Jordan's relentless efforts to end the Israeli aggression against the Palestinian people.

"The peace we aspire for is based on Israel's full withdrawal till the June 4, 1967 line, including the pullout from Al Quds Sharif (Jerusalem), the Syrian Golan Heights and Lebanese Sheba Farms," Erekat said.

On his part, Moasher said Arab foreign ministers will conduct intensive consultations prior to the March 27-28 Arab summit in Beirut and will meet in Cairo on March 19 to crystallize specific

ideas to be discussed by the summit to revive the peace process in the region.

"It is significant to give Palestinians a hope to set up their independent state and to end the conflict through diplomatic channels satisfactory to all parties," Moasher said.

Erekat arrived in Amman earlier in the day as part of a consultation mechanism between Jordan and the Palestinians on the peace process in the region.

His discussion with Jordanian official focused on the Saudi plan, which was formulated by Crown Prince Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz and floated 10 days ago in the New York Times.

The plan called for Israel to withdraw its troops from all Arab territories it occupied during the 1967 Middle East War in exchange for Arab recognition of the Jewish state.

Currently Jordan and Egypt are the only two Arab countries to have signed peace treaties with Israel.

Questions?Comments? Click here

Peres Unveils Details of Peace Plan With Palestinians