Palestinians Accept US Roadmap Plan in Principle: Arafat

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Wednesday, November 13, 2002

Palestinians Accept US Roadmap Plan in Principle: Arafat

Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat announced Tuesday that the Palestinian leadership accepts the proposed US roadmap peace plan in principle.

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Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat announced Tuesday that the Palestinian leadership accepts the proposed US roadmap peace plan in principle.

Speaking to reporters after meeting with Russian envoy Andrei Vdovin at his office in the West Bank city of Ramallah, Arafat saidthe final answer to the proposed plan would be officially given after consulting Arab states leaders.

"We are still discussing it with the Arabs. After that we will offer our complete response. As you remember, we have accepted it in principle," said Arafat.

Meanwhile, US Mideast envoy David Satterfield, who has started his second day of a tour in the region, was holding talks with Israeli officials and with Palestinians later.

Satterfield is pushing a "roadmap" peace plan drawn up by a quartet of the United States, the European Union, United Nations and Russian mediators, which proposes the establishment of a Palestinian state with temporary borders with Israel by the end of the year 2003.

The permanent Palestinian state would then embark on final-status negotiations with Israel, which would be completed by 2005, the peace plan pointed out.

Palestinian officials said they would give Satterfield their official response Wednesday during talks in the West Bank.

However, they stressed that they had some reservations and suggestions on the plan, adding that they want a total freeze on Jewish settlement activities in the occupied Palestinian territories.

The proposed plan does not call for Palestinian presidential elections, but demands the appointment of a prime minister, which Arafat strongly rejects because it will restrict his powers.

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