PA: US must clarify its position‎

George Mitchell (L) gestures as he speaks
with Mahmoud Abbas on ‎Saturday


Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=135209§ionid=351020202


A senior Palestinian official says there will be no direct talks with Israelis until US clarifies its position on settlements and al-Quds (Jerusalem).

Yasser Abed Rabbo made the statement on Saturday after acting Palestinian Authority (PA) chief Mahmoud Abbas held three hours of talks with visiting US Middle East envoy George Mitchell.

The PA has refused to begin direct talks with Israel unless progress is first achieved on the two major core issues of security and borders during current proximity talks.

Rabbo said that the US administration is now pressing the PA to move on to direct negotiations but the PA wants "clarity" regarding the US position.

"Until now there is no clarity in the US position on a number of issues, especially those related to moving into final status talks," AFP quoted him as telling reporters in the West Bank.

Ahead of any face-to-face talks, the PA has demanded a complete freeze in Israel's settlement expansion, while Tel Aviv has not only ignored such calls but has approved new settlements in mostly East al-Quds, which Palestinians want as their capital.

Israel occupied the eastern half of the city in 1967 along with the West Bank and annexed it in 1982, a move not recognized by the international community.