Mitchell pledges US support to "viable" Palestinian state (Roundup)

Jan 24, 2010, 18:30 GMT

Amman - US President Barack Obama's Middle East envoy, George Mitchell, held his second meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in 48 hours in Amman on Sunday and pledged continued efforts to ensure the creation of a 'viable' Palestinian state.

In remarks to reporters after the meeting, Mitchell said the United States would press ahead with efforts for the accomplishment of the 'two-state solution.'

However, Mitchell said that Syria and Lebanon should be involved in the peace negotiations so that all countries of the region can enjoy 'normal ties.'

Also speaking to reporters was the chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erakat, who said that Abbas had reiterated Palestinian rejection of a resumption of negotiations with Israel until further settlement construction ceases.

'Abbas told Mitchell that the Palestinians had honoured their commitments under the roadmap, which provides for the setting up of an independent Palestinian state within the June 4, 1967 borders,' Erakat said.

'It is high time for Israel to honour its commitments, including the cessation of settlement building and to resume negotiations from the point they reached,' he added.

Erakat said that the Palestinian Authority would continue its cooperation with the United States and Europe and urged the world community to focus on the establishment of an independent Palestinian state.

He said that Abbas would on Monday start a tour of Russia, Britain and Germany to muster support from the three key European countries to the Palestinian stand in this respect.

Earlier in the day, Mitchell conferred with Jordan's King Abdullah II, who stressed the need for achieving 'progress' toward the resumption of effective talks between Israel and the Palestinians.

Also on Sunday, the Palestinian president held talks in Amman with the United Arab Emirates Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed al-Nahyan, who urged a speedy reconciliation between Abbas' Fatah movement and its rival group, the radical Hamas movement.