Abu Mazin disarming Palestinians in Lebanon is a Lebanese issue

The Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas stressed that UN resolution 1559 relating to disarming all groups in Lebanon is an internal Lebanese matter. He described his recent visit to each of Lebanon and Syria as very important.

Replying to a question on dismantling the weapons of the Palestinians in Lebanon, Abu Mazin said "we have said that UN resolution 1559 is a Lebanese matter, accepted or rejected by them and they are the decision makers concerning its implementation," noting that the "Palestinian people in Lebanon are guests and therefore they are obliged to the law and what the Lebanese want."

On his meeting with the Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and secretaries of the Palestinian organizations in Damascus, Abu Mazin said "stress was laid during this meeting on the unity of the PLO and that all should be in the same pot," adding that "issues pertinent to the Palestinian future in Lebanon were discussed." Abu Mazin continued that "he notified the Syrian brothers on what is taking place on the Palestinian territories."

He added "This tour was very important for continued Palestinian-Syria and Palestinian- Lebanese contacts." Replying to a question on the position of the representatives of Hamas and the Islamic Jihad in Lebanon and Syria over taking part in a national unity government, the Palestinian President said they informed him that "they are not interested with joining the government, and therefore there is an alternative which are the follow up committees that exist in the West Bank and Gaza. " N.