Remarks With Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas

PRESIDENT ABBAS: (Via interpreter) In the name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate, it is my pleasure to welcome once again Dr. Rice in our country today and thank her for all the efforts she has been exerting to see peace and justice to be achieved in our region. I commend her active diplomacy and (inaudible), realizing that her efforts will multiply during the next few weeks for the good preparation of the international meeting and with the attendance of all concerned parties.

We have discussed with Dr. Rice several issues, the first one of which is the peace process and the good preparation for the requirement of the success of the international meeting intended in mid-November so it becomes a serious forum for negotiations that lead to ending Israeli occupation to our land and to Arab land which had started in 1967, in accordance with international legitimacy and the roadmap and the vision of President George Bush and the Arab Peace Initiative and the signed agreements.

The time has come for the establishment of the Palestinian state and the (inaudible) Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital to live side by side with Israel with security and peace and to end the torment and suffering which our people continue to live since six decades.

We have asserted to Secretary Rice our serious pursuit to reach a framework agreement to implement solving the issues of the final status, issues which are the borders, the Jerusalem refugees, and the issues of settlement and water. And within this vision we have met periodically with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert in our pursuit to reach an agreement that includes a timeframe or a schedule for implementing -- solving final status issues.

We have informed Secretary Rice on the formation and the structure of the Palestinian delegation and expressed our willingness to start immediately meetings of Palestinian-Israeli teams in order to prepare seriously in cooperation with Arab and international parties that are concerned to ensure opportunities for success of this meeting, especially that time is very short. We have asserted to Secretary Rice that in order for the peace process to restore its credibility and the trust of the people of the region in it, there is a need for immediate halt of all Israeli settlement activities in Palestinian territories and to stop the construction of the wall of separation and annexation and expansion and to end the siege and the closure imposed on our land and people in all its forms because of its devastating impact on our economy and the standards of living of our people, which has reached its lowest level and constitutes a major source of concern to us and has its repercussions and negative effect on security and stability.

We have asserted also on the utmost importance for stopping the Palestinians of invasions and arrests, the last of which was the invasion of the city of Nablus and its refugee camps. And Israeli threat, the recent Israeli threat to escalate collective punishment, particularly in Gaza. In this regard, the talk of Israeli politicians and their statements issued following the meeting of the security cabinet yesterday -- that Gaza is a hostile territory -- has serious and grave political connotations. All these measures undermine the efforts exerted from our government for the sake of threatening security and enhancing order in different Palestinian cities. In this regard, we will continue to provide our people in Gaza Strip with all their basic and necessary needs.

We have also asserted the importance of our -- the issue of our funds, the prisoners, and the need to release them and end their suffering and imprisonment, as we have been promised more than once.

Once again, I welcome Dr. Rice and wish her efforts all success. We will meet President George Bush, God willing, in New York during the United Nations General Assembly meeting in order to continue our -- in frank discussions to reach a just, permanent and comprehensive peace in the Middle East. And thank you.

SECRETARY RICE: Thank you very much, Mr. President. Thank you for welcoming me here again. To all of you, I say Ramadan kareem. And to you, Mr. President, I say thank you very much for your leadership and for the work that you are engaged in to accelerate the work towards the establishment of a Palestinian state.

Indeed, we have had wide-ranging discussions today about the discussions that are going on in the bilateral channel between Prime Minister Olmert and President Abbas. I was very pleased to hear that teams have been appointed to work on a document that you would hope to complete by the time of the international meeting. But in any case, to work toward a common understanding of what it will take to lay a foundation for the establishment of a Palestinian state.

I've also been able to take advantage of this time to hear President's Abbas's views about how the international meeting should be structured, and I will of course take those back as well. Mr. President, as you know, we are -- the President and I are absolutely devoted to working as hard as we possibly can for the establishment of that state. I am glad that you will have an opportunity to see him in New York to further discuss the common vision that you hold for the establishment of that state. I expect to see you often during the time before we go to an international meeting and I look forward to our many opportunities to press forward with this important work.

I might also just in closing note that today, of course, we are sending our very deep condolences to the people of Lebanon. We spoke to President Gemayal, the President and I did, about the brutal assassination of parliamentarian Ghanem. It is a sad day for Lebanon. It is a sad day for all who value freedom, for all who value democracy. And the people of Lebanon will always have friends and those who respect their sovereignty and respect their right to live in peace and freedom.

Thank you very much.

QUESTION: (Via interpreter) Rashid Hilal (ph) from the Palestinian Broadcasting Corporation. Ms. Secretary of State, what do you mean by critical issues or sensitive issues that the fall international meeting has to take approaches in this regard? We understood that these are the final status issues, but what are the conditions for the success of this international meeting? And thank you.

SECRETARY RICE: Thank you. Well, yes, core issues is another word that has been used to talk about these -- the issues that must be resolved, and there are many that must be resolved. But I believe that with the work that President Abbas and Prime Minister Olmert are doing together and that their teams will do in preparation to lay a foundation so that we are all moving forward toward a Palestinian state that we will begin to address these issues.

The international meeting has to be serious. It has to be substantive. I really do want to underscore here in front of the President and in front of the Palestinian people, the President of the United States has no intention to invite the international community and the Palestinians and Israelis for a meeting that is not substantive. We have many things to do. We don't need a photo opportunity. We need a meeting that will advance the cause of a Palestinian state. That is the only reason to have a meeting.

And so you can be assured that between now and the convening of that international meeting this fall, I will work -- I know that the President and Prime Minister Olmert will work and that their teams will work -- very aggressively, very urgently to lay the groundwork for a successful meeting. And from my point of view, a successful meeting has to be one that is substantive and that advances the cause of the Palestinian state, advances the ball, so to speak, not one in which we simply meet for the sake of meeting.

QUESTION: President Abbas, there's a lot of Arab skepticism about the conference. Do you think it will be worthwhile attending the conference if final status issues are not tackled?

And for Secretary Rice. Secretary Rice, did you present any new ideas to President Abbas following your meeting last night with Prime Minister Olmert, and do you plan to take back any new ideas to Prime Minister Olmert before you return to Washington?

PRESIDENT ABBAS: (Via interpreter) At the beginning, I wish to assert what has been said by Dr. Rice regarding our -- extending our condolences to President Amin Gemayal for losing one of the most prominent figures from the Phalangist Party yesterday. It's unfortunate that in less than one year I have extended condolences to President Gemayal twice, once with the martyrdom of his son and the second time with the martyrdom of his comrade. We wish Lebanon stability and we wish Lebanon security and we wish for Lebanon to exit and come out of this crisis with the least possible losses.

As for Arab states, the situation is ambiguous of the Arab states regarding the international conference. I believe that there is a need for clarification or clarifying several issues. And I think it is the duty of those who are invited for this conference, and hence when things become clear I think that Arab states -- I'm not sure, I cannot speak on their behalf -- but I think that these Arab states will attend this conference.

SECRETARY RICE: And, Sue, as to what I discussed with the President and with Prime Minister Olmert, I think you will understand if I say that I intend to keep those discussions private. We are all trying to advance what they are trying to do in their bilateral track and what the international community can do to help them. And we will have whatever kind of discussions we need to do to have that, including whatever substantive ideas we need to pursue.

QUESTION: (Via interpreter) (Inaudible) President, in case Israel implemented the security conference -- security cabinet meeting decision against Gaza, how will this affect the negotiations with Israel and the relation between the Palestinian Authority in Israel in case these sanctions are implemented?

(English) And Mrs. Rice, you said that you are expecting something serious from the summit, but we know that there is obviously a very big gap between what the Palestinians and Israelis each are expecting. So would you accept something general -- a general declaration as Olmert has suggested, or would you back a detailed agreement as the Palestinian side has asked?

PRESIDENT ABBAS: (Via interpreter) The Palestinian people are one and unified and must -- the perception towards them and dealing with them must continue to remain -- to be one and unified regardless of the difficulties that were created by the coup a few months ago. We deal with Gaza Strip and with our people in Gaza Strip like they are an indispensable part of the Palestinian people. And anything or any harm or damage that is inflicted against them is against us. Hence, we defend their own interests and we defend their rights and what happens there and sometimes happens in the West Bank yesterday, the invasion is still clear in Nablus and its villages. However, our perception to everyone or to all these (inaudible) is one and our stand against them as one and will not change.

SECRETARY RICE: As to what kind of document the parties produce, I think the -- there are two important processes that are underway here. One is that these parties are talking about critical core issues for the first time in six years and we shouldn't lose sight of that. I remember being here -- I don't remember when, maybe February or so -- when the question was, would the parties even meet. And in fact, they did meet. Then there was the question of whether or not they would seriously discuss the issues that would lead to the establishment of the Palestinian state. They're now doing that.

And so, what kind of document comes out of these discussions, I think, is something that we will have to -- that they will have to work through and that we will have to undoubtedly help with and we're happy to be of help. But the issue here is to move the process forward through a document that will help to lay a foundation so that there can be serious negotiations on the establishment of a Palestinian state as soon as possible. That's the purpose. I think trying to determine what will be the nature of the document -- how detailed, how not detailed. Let's not lose sight of the reason for these discussions, and that is to lay the foundation so that negotiations can begin on the establishment of a Palestinian state.

QUESTION: President Abbas, you maintain that you are the legitimate leader of all the Palestinian people, including those of Gaza, as you just said. Does the Israeli threat to cut basic services to Gaza -- did it sideline your talks or sidetrack your talks in any way? And does this give you pause or give you concern about Israel's intentions towards peace?

Madame Secretary, do you believe that Syria is responsible for the recent assassination in Lebanon and are you fearing for the lives of other cabinet members and high-level officials there? Thank you.

PRESIDENT ABBAS: (Via interpreter) Any sanctions imposed against the Palestinian people are a source of our concern, no doubt, and harm us in an answer to a serious question. And we address Israelis and we said this explicit in our statement that this is grave and serious and a major source of concern and must -- there must be no sanctions against the Palestinian people, neither collective nor individual. Whether these punishments that may happen in Gaza or the punishments that happen every day in our villages, our cities and our refugee camps, this will not make us stop our continuous demand to stop these actions and to stop these invasions because these definitely will harm our bilateral relations and will harm our discussions and negotiations and may harm the atmosphere and sabotage it.

SECRETARY RICE: I, obviously, am not in a position to determine who is responsible for the tragic assassination of Parliamentarian Ghanem. I do know that for years Syria occupied Lebanon, that it took a UN Security Council resolution and considerable international pressure to get Syrian forces out, that there have been continued concerns about continued intimidation of Lebanese politicians and efforts to negatively influence Lebanese politics.

Let me just state the principle, which is that the Lebanese have the right to pursue their democratic governance, to pursue their upcoming elections, without fear of intimidation, without fear of foreign interference, fully respecting their sovereignty, and understanding that the kind of brutality that has been heaped upon the Lebanese people in these recent years is simply unacceptable to the international community.

Thank you.

PRESIDENT ABBAS: Thank you.

2007/T16-4