London Meeting on Supporting the Palestinian Authority – Opening remarks by PA President Abbas – UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office press release/Non-UN document

PRESIDENT ABBAS OPENING REMARKS AT THE LONDON MEETING

EDITED TRANSCRIPT OF THE OPENING REMARKS BY PRESIDENT ABBAS, AT THE LONDON MEETING ON SUPPORTING THE PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY, 1 MARCH 2005

In the name of God the Merciful, the Beneficent, Mr Prime Minister Mr Tony Blair, Your Excellencies, Heads of Delegations, Ladies and Gentlemen.

I would like to thank warmly the Prime Minister, Tony Blair, for the effort he has undertaken to prepare and hold this conference which is an important link in a series of efforts he has undertaken to revive the peace process in the Middle East and support it.

Many questions have been raised about the nature of this conference and many explanations have been given to answer these questions about what is the reason for this conference but we have from the outset have had no doubt at all about the main view and vision and that we know Mr Tony Blair has been very sincere in holding this conference and to respond to our necessities and needs to find a suitable environment to open the diplomatic venues and to put an end to violence and counter violence which has only led to more complications and to put an end to the true goals of peace and effort . We have welcomed this conference and have looked into it with in order to dialogue with our friends and colleagues in the international community concerning what is required to create such an environment through providing sufficient support to the Palestinian Authority whether politically, economically or at the security level. For us as Palestinians we are going forward in arranging our condition and we are committed to the Road Map which we find is the only map which has the effective ability to be implemented and we only have one request, which is the commitment be mutual according to the original text of the Map as the quartet had prepared.

Ladies and Gentlemen, during a very short time it was possible for us to move forward in a very complicated process and I mean about the internal reforms. Because after the very quiet change in the authority after the decease of Mr Yassar Arafat we have undertaken elections and we are carrying out local elections and we have said that next August is the time for the legislative elections and the Palestinian population does show that they are aware of its commitment to democracy and these values that will lead to an independent state that is based on multipartism and democracy and which is ruled by institutions that are working under the sovereignty of modern rules and an independent judiciary. These are also the standards and values upon which the Palestinian vision is based and which is linked to the governance and reforms as have been detailed by the text of this conference and as we have expressed in other forums. We and despite our though we know it is difficult to come up with an independent state, however, we have tried to add some value to the Road Map in the Middle East and in the world.

My dear friends, I also believe that our Palestinian people and the Palestinian Authority have sent very important letters and signals to the world that have to be read that have to be read sincerely and at the same time they are addressed to our neighbours, the Israelis, and the most important of these letters is that we are 100 percent ready to make efforts in that area and we have re-deployed our forces in the field and have taken a decision to unify our security forces and we are implementing this decision despite the difficulties that you are well aware of because you are well aware about the details of our country. And this decision also prevents or actually emphasizes multi-lateralism and these efforts were undertaken and this was from our participation in the conference of Sharm el-Sheikh which was an important stepping point to resuming political negotiations after a period of time where no negotiations took place. A few days ago the Israeli civilians were attacked by a terrorist attack and we emphasize that we condemn very strongly this operation and we re-emphasize that extremist groups are still determined to destroy any effort towards any peace process and to solve the problems through peaceful means and negotiations and to refuse the program of demo that we Palestinians emphasize on implementing it knowing that all the Palestinians organisation have said that they were not responsible for this operation and were committed to peace. My dear colleagues and friends we believe that the security efforts that we are undertaking are in response to the dire needs of the Palestinian citizens who would very much look forward to peace and security, however, this might be set back if we cannot find a serious political solution that we cannot delay settlement between us and the Israelis and experience has showed us that the isolated security measures from any political plan is not enough to strengthen security and to open the peace venues and when I speak about a political settlement, a serious one, I mean about one that gives confidence to put an end to occupation that started in 1967 and this is something that we are committed to do with you all and with Israel in order to implement it, and if this path should come up with such confidence it has to come with an end to confiscation of territories and to occupation and here I would like to express our deep gratitude to the position that President George Bush has emphasized recently in Brussels and which was completely compatible with his vision with the necessity to put an end to the occupation that started in '67 and for the establishment of an independent Palestinian State that is sustainable and that lives peacefully next to Israel, our neighbour.

And here in London I would like to express the importance to continue our contacts with Israel although they are not represented here today and I would also like to express the importance that has to be given to emphasize Israeli redeployment of forces which will lead to a better environment as was the case before the holding of the Sharm el-Sheikh conference as I spoke about at the beginning of my speech. I would not like here to present my complaints but I'd like to make seize of this very good opportunity where there is true support towards peace process. And I see here also all the important points to give real and genuine support to our people who have suffered during the past 4 years and is in dire need to reconstruct what has been destroyed and here I have to express my thanks to my dear brothers in the Arab countries who are providing us with support that has allowed us to remain unified and I am sure that will always help us in responding to our needs especially during this very critical period in which we need all types of support in order overcome or to go into the right path. I would also thank you all Ladies and Gentlemen and I'd like to thank the United Nations and the United States and Europe and the Russian Federation that constitute quartet that is effective at the international level and not just to put a peace plan but to implement the items of that plan and I do not forget also to thank my other friends in the G8 and the all the donor countries and financial international institutions, the IMF, that are represented here and those that did not participate in today's meeting and once again I would like to thank the United Kingdom and my friend Tony Blair for the efforts and positions he has taken and encouraging steps and I hope that this conference would be the beginning of another international conference and we look forward to hold it according to the Road Map at which we can find a solution to all the lasting problems concerning Jerusalem, water and the territories and all the aspects of the Arab-Israeli conflict according to the international legitimacy.

Finally, and after years in which we have all been before the wall of despair, I would like to say that the peace that is a necessity at an international Israeli and Palestinian level is possible if we really endeavor to strengthen the concept of justice. Thank you Mr Prime Minister.