PLO welcomes French promise to recognize Palestine

Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat on Saturday welcomed France's renewed efforts to negotiate a two-state solution at talks that are expected to include leaders from the US, Europe and Arab nations.

In a press release, Erekat stated that he welcomed a call made by France for an inclusive and serious international involvement towards ending the Israeli occupation that began in 1967 and the full realization of a free, independent and sovereign State of Palestine on the 1967 borders.

France has announced plans to convene an international peace conference in order to break the Palestinian-Israeli deadlocked peace process and bring about the two-state solution.

French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius announced on Friday that his country would recognize a Palestinian state within weeks if the bid to break the deadlock fails.

Reiterating Palestinian leadership's support for such a conference, Erekat added: "We have been calling upon the international community to have an international conference for Palestine based on international law and UN resolutions, with the parties implementing their obligations under signed agreements; including a full cessation of Israeli settlement activities within a specified time-frame and terms of reference."

Erekat added that he will be contacting France as well as other international partners to advance in that direction.

Source: MENA