Abbas, Saudi king discuss peace process

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“They discussed the Palestinian question and developments in the stalled peace process and the international community’s obligations to help reach a just and comprehensive peace” based on a separate Palestinian state with its capital in Jerusalem, SPA said after the meeting in Riyadh.

Abbas arrived in the Saudi capital earlier in the day for the brief visit together with senior peace negotiator Saeb Erekat, as a new round of efforts to restart Palestinian-Israeli peace negotiations appeared to be underway.

Efforts have stalled for months on Israel’s refusal to bow to Palestinian demands to halt new construction in West Bank and east Jerusalem settlments.

Riyadh has firmly backed Abbas’ insistence on a settlement freeze.

An Arab diplomat in Cairo told AFP earlier that US special envoy George Mitchell will soon present two draft letters of guarantee, one for Israel and one to the Palestinian Authority, in hopes that it will spark a move toward negotiations.

 

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