LOC17:39
14:39 GMT
RAMALLAH, Jan 6 (KUNA) -- Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas criticized on
Thursday Israeli settlements as the key impediment to Palestinian-Israeli
peace negotiations.
Speaking during a meeting with visiting EU Foreign Policy chief Catherine
Ashton, Abbas said as long as Israel insists on settlement, there would be no
permanent peace based on international legitimacy resolutions that ensure the
Palestinians' right of a Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital.
The Palestinian leader urged the European Union (EU) to play a more active
role to give a fresh life to the stalemated peace process.
For her part, Ashton, who has returned to the Middle East in a last-ditch
effort to resume direct negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians,
reiterated the EU's commitment to pushing forward the Middle East peace
process.
She also said the EU supports the Palestinian leader and his authority,
vowing to continue economic and financial backing to the Palestinians. (end)
nq.mt
KUNA 061739 Jan 11NNNN