Abbas, Putin Pledge to Reactivate "Roadmap"

2005-02-02

Palestinian President in Turkey, Following Historic Russia Visit

Palestine Media Center - PMC

www.palestine-pmc.com/details.asp?cat=1&id=789

Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas arrived in Ankara from Moscow on Tuesday following a historic two-day visit to Russia during which he signed with President Vladimir Putin a joint statement pledging to implement the UN-adopted "roadmap" plan and calling on Israel to withdraw from the West Bank and the Gaza Strip as a step towards peace.

Accompanied by Palestinian Foreign Minister Nabil Shaath and Transport Minister Hikmat Zaid, Abbas held talks on Tuesday with the Turkish President Ahmet Necdet Sezer, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Turkish business leaders and was scheduled to leave on Wednesday after meeting Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc.

Palestinian-Turkish talks focused on bilateral ties and reactivating the peace process in the Middle East.

Abbas said he had discussed with Sezer the need to take the UN-adopted "roadmap" peace plan as the basis of a "comprehensive, lasting and just peace."

Speaking after meeting with Sezer, Abbas said: "Security and peace in the region can be made possible only through the implementation of this roadmap."

The UN Security Council adopted Resolution 1515 endorsing the peace plan in November 2003.

Sezer, for his part, underlined that peace in the Middle East can only be achieved after the resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and pledged Turkey's support to the peace process.

He also said that Turkey backed the founding of an independent Palestinian state.

"In our meeting, I told Abbas that Turkey's support for the peace process and the Palestinians on their way towards setting up an independent state will increase," he said.

Abbas told reporters Tuesday that Palestinians and Israelis are making progress towards peace, holding "uninterrupted" talks and that preparations were underway for a meeting between Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and himself, scheduled for February 8.

"Nowadays we are making progress towards realizing the desired peace in the region," Abbas said through an interpreter.

The planned Abbas-Sharon summit will be the first between the two men in over four years.

Historic Visit to Moscow Concluded

Abbas arrived in Ankara, following an historic visit to Russia.

He lauded Russia's support as "decisive . in establishing a universal and stable peace in the Middle East" and his host in President Putin pledged a Russian "active cooperation" with the international community to resolve the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

"There is a historic chance to bring about peace in the region," Abbas said, adding that Russia's role in the process is "decisive."

"Small doubt that Russia's presence on our side, our cooperation on the bilateral basis, its role in 'the quartet' of mediators will be of decisive importance," the Palestinian leader said in remarks spoken in Arabic and translated into Russian by an interpreter, according to Itar Tass.

The Palestinian people "know well the role, played by Russia in drafting 'the roadmap' and in a peaceful settlement in the Middle East. Therefore, we speak with confidence that there are real chances to start working to achieve stability and security, then to resolve social and economic problems and to build an independent state," Abbas was quoted as saying.

On his part, Putin said he hoped Abbas would succeed in implementing measures needed to improve the Palestinian-Israeli relationship and bolster the Palestinian economy.

"For our part, we are ready, as before, to cooperate with you and the international community in an active way to resolve these issues," Putin said.

"We hope very much that you will succeed in making resolute moves both in improving relations with Israel and in economic development of Palestine," said the Russian head of state at a meeting with Abbas.

The Russian president sees "a good sign" in the election of Abbas as the President of the Palestine National Authority (PNA).

"Your are well known in Russia. It is very pleasant for us that Palestinian people resolutely and unequivocally voiced support for you," he said. "We see in this a good sign of continuity of the policy."

The Russian leader was referring to the policy of Abbas's predecessor late Yaser Arafat, "who had been a great friend of Russia and will go down in the history of Palestine and international relations. But life goes on. There are many problems in the region and Palestine, which have been waiting for solutions for decades," the Russian president added.

Sergei Lavrov Pledges 'Active Support'

Similarly, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told Abbas in front of reporters after the two held separate talks: "You are the recognized leader of the Palestinian people and we will actively support you."

The top Russian diplomat said earlier that Abbas would like to win Russia's support for establishing Palestinian security services. "Abbas is inclined to carry out resolutely reforms which were agreed upon by the four international mediators for Palestinians within the roadmap."

"He has already reshuffled the security service and ensures mechanisms of consolidation of all Palestinian groups so that they should be subordinated to his power and fulfill instructions of the roadmap," Lavrov added.

Russia's support, Lavrov continued, will give a chance that all the steps, aimed at fulfilling "the roadmap", including by the Israeli side, should be implemented in full.

Abbas told Lavrov that he had worked hard to make Moscow his first foreign destination following his election on January 9. "It shows the respect the Palestinian people feel toward the Russian people, and it shows the important role that Russia plays on the world arena, above all in the Middle East," he said.

Abbas Meets State Duma Speaker

Abbas also met with Russian State Duma Speaker Boris Gryzlov.

"We have always supported you in your difficult fight for independence," Gryzlov told him. "Today, we are seeing quite favorable conditions for a peaceful settlement."

As a co-sponsor of the peaceful settlement, Russia can take a number of additional steps to promote the settlement of the Middle East conflict, Gryzlov said at the meeting with Abbas.

"The situation for peaceful settlement is currently favorable," the speaker said.

According to him, "Russian-Palestinian relations have always been respectful and constructive." "We have always supported your struggle for independence," he noted.

State Duma deputies attended the January 10 elections of the Palestinian administration head as observers are ready to observe the parliamentary elections on July 7, Boris Gryzlov added.

The speaker pointed out the close Palestinian-Russian cooperation in the education sphere. He said Russia has allocated 150 additional scholarships to Palestinians studying in Russian universities. In 1974-1990 about 10,000 Palestinian specialists were trained in Russia. They are successfully employed in their home country, Gryzlov said according to Novosti.

Abbas, who received his doctorate from Moscow State University, told Gryzlov that he had warm memories of his student days in the city.

Patriarch Alexy II Favors Inter-faith Dialogue

Abbas met later with the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Alexy II, and the Russian Muslim Muftis Council.

The Holy Land is an "irreplaceable component" of the Middle East peace process, Orthodox Patriarch of Moscow and all Russia told Abbas during their meeting at the Danilov monastery in the Russian capital.

According to the Patriarch, peace requires that "the possibility to visit the holy places is not only guaranteed to local residents but also to all peoples since it is here we find the three religions with faithful around the world."

Patriarch Alexy II told Abbas that the Orthodox Church is in favor of inter-faith dialogue in the Middle East.

"The Russian Orthodox Church," he said, "has been present in the Middle East for a long time and is ready to help Palestinians through the dialogue amongst religions."

He thanked Abbas for "returning the Orthodox properties in Hebron and Jericho" and said "that is time to define the legal title of the Russian mission to these properties."

Abbas arrived in Moscow Sunday for an official visit as part of his first foreign trip since his election.

He arrived in Cairo from Amman on Friday on two-day visit, during which he held talks with President Hosni Mubarak.

Reportedly, he was scheduled to leave Turkey to Switzerland on Wednesday.

Source: IMRA – Independent Media Review and Analysis