Palestinian leader lobbies Merkel

23/02/2007| IslamWeb

Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas has been holding talks in Berlin with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who currently holds the EU presidency.

Mr Abbas is seeking Western support for a unity government of his Fatah party and its rival Hamas.

He also wants the financial boycott of the Palestinian Authority to be lifted.

The Quartet - Russia, the EU, the US and UN - say they will await the formation of a new Palestinian unity government before making a decision.

'A first step'

The US-led ban on financial aid has crippled the Palestinian Authority since Hamas, which has refused to recognize Israel, won elections in January last year.

"From our point of view, the boycott of the Palestinians was always an injustice and we have to find a solution to overcome these problems," Mr Abbas said on Thursday, after meeting German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier.

The Quartet met in Berlin on Wednesday and repeated that the Palestinian Authority must meet triple conditions of renouncing violence, recognizing Israel and accepting earlier peace agreements.

Mr Abbas, who met Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert in Jerusalem earlier this week, said the new administration was "a first and important step towards bringing the Palestinians together".

Factional fighting between Fatah and Hamas claimed more than 90 Palestinian lives between December and February.

He said the government would be committed to avoiding violence and terrorism.

Mr Abbas is due to complete his diplomatic tour with a trip to France.

Photo caption

Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian president