PA, opposition groups to continue dialogue
Palestine, Politics, 8/3/1999

The Palestinian Authority and the Palestinian opposition groups have decided to continue the dialogue in order to revive the PLO (Palestine Liberation Organization) establishment.

AFP said that member of the central committee of the Fatah movement, Zakaraya al-Agha, has announced following the meeting which was held on Sunday in Cairo between Palestinian President Yasser Arafat and representatives of the People's Front for the Liberation of Palestine that the two sides discussed the question of declaration the establishment of the Palestinian state.

He added that the participants in the meeting discussed two options: declaring the Palestinian state before the end of the final status negotiations or proceeding positively with negotiations with Israeli.

For his part, the assistant secretary for the PFLP, Abu Ali Mustafa, announced that the two sides held a fruitful and successful meeting, during which they decided to set up a committee to continue dialogue and take practical steps in order to implement the points of agreement reached during Sunday's meeting.

He continued, "We have agreed on the main Palestinian principles, especially Jerusalem, the Israeli settlements, the Palestinian state, the right of the refugees to return and to revive the PLO establishments."

He added that the joint committee will meet during two or three weeks, adding that the committee will contact several Palestinian figures and forces which did not take part in the meeting, saying, "We are careful that these sides will be represented in order to maintain a Palestinian national unity to counter the Israeli occupation."

The delegation of the PFLP to the meeting was presided over by Mustafa. The delegation included members of the front's political bureau, Teseir Qabaa, Abdul Rahim Mallouh, Maher al-Taher and Jamil Majdalawi.

Meanwhile, the secretary general of the Palestinian Authority, al-Tayeb Abdul Rahim, described meetings which were held in Cairo on Sunday between the representatives of the Fatah movement on the one hand, and representatives of the opposition on the other hand as a good start to restoring dialogue in the Palestinian arena.

Israel Radio quoted Abdul Rahim as saying that the next meeting within the series of meetings with the Palestinian groups will be with the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine.

For his part Teisei Qabaa said the Oslo agreement has become an established reality and that concentration should be made in the meantime on the unity of the Palestinian track before starting with the final situation negotiations.

He added that a meeting between Arafat and George Habash, the head of the PFLP, will be possible after reaching an agreement in the current negotiations in Cairo between Arafat and leaders of the PFLP.

Previous Stories:
  Berri meets with Habash   (7/30/1999)
  Palestine hails Cairo meeting between Arafat, opposition   (7/28/1999)
  Palestinian opposition fails to make a statement against Oslo   (7/27/1999)

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