LOC23:55
20:55 GMT
PARIS, July 30 (KUNA) -- Chief Palestinian Negotiator Saeb Erekat has confirmed Palestinian Authority's full support to the French initiative for reviving Mideast peace.
"We reiterate our full support to the French initiative to hold an international conference for Middle East peace before the end of the year," Erekat told reporters following Palestinian President Abbas's separate meetings with French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault and US State Secretary John Kerry.
He emphasized the need for setting a timetable for the implementation of any expected peace agreement.
He noted that the French, American and Egyptian efforts have the same goal: helping resume the peace talks.
"The president has affirmed to the French and American officials that any proposal to amend the Arab peace initiative would not be accepted," he said.
He pointed to high-level coordination with Egypt in this regard.
France has been trying to give fresh impetus to the moribund peace process and organised a ministerial meeting June 3 in Paris to try to establish an international framework to accompany fresh negotiations.
Paris is hoping this dynamic will lead to the holding of an international peace conference in which many parties - the UN, the EU, the Arab League and others - can push Israelis and Palestinians back to the negotiating table. (end)
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