Security Reforms Vowed by Abbas

02/03/2005| IslamWeb

Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas told an international conference yesterday that he would reform the Palestinian Authority's unwieldy and competing security services - a key demand of Israel and world donors - and promised to track down and punish the perpetrators of last week's suicide bombing in Tel Aviv.

Palestinian Finance Minister Salam Fayyad said the Palestinians won pledges from the international community for at least 1.2 billion in financial aid for 2005 - "more than (was pledged) before - and even more is expected." Last year, the Palestinians received promises of just under 1bn in aid.

The PA also won ringing support from the European Union, the US and other world powers for an ambitious raft of reforms intended to create a viable Palestinian state.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair, who hosted the daylong global conference in London, said, "We've got a script that is clearer today than ever before."

"Everyone now accepts the two-state solution.... Doing it is the great task, but nobody can be in any doubt about what people want us to do," he said.

But as the conference closed, Israel warned that until Abbas takes action to dismantle militant groups, peace efforts would be stymied.

Abbas said the Palestinian Authority would consolidate its security and intelligence services into three branches, consider appointing a chief of police and increase police presence in the streets of the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Washington would spearhead a new security group to co-ordinate the reforms.

The group will be headed by Lt Gen William E Ward, the US security co-ordinator for region, and involve the European Union, Britain, Egypt and Jordan.

Rice also said: "Israel must take no actions that prejudice a final settlement and must help ensure that a new Palestinian state is truly viable," she said.

PHOTO CAPTION

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas talks to journalists after a meeting with Britain's Prime Minister Tony Blair in Downing Street, London February 28, 2005. (REUTERS)