Shaath: We will determine the date of the state's declaration soon

The Arab committee concerned with the formula of the Palestinian constitution convened a meeting under the chairmanship of Arab League Secretary General Esmat Abdul Meguid that was attended by Palestinian Minister of Planning and International Cooperation Nabil Shaath.

Shaath said after the meeting that the constitution of the Palestinian state is born here in the Arab League and that the constitution focuses on many essential documents, among which are the document declaring Palestinian independence in Algeria in 1988 and the document by the Palestinian Legislative Council creating the main Palestinian system.

He stated that the constitution will express all legal, legislative and constitutional aspects which will form a democratic Arab Palestinian Republic.

He added, "The date of declaring the Palestinian state will be determined by the Palestinian Central Council in its coming meeting at the end of the current month."

Regarding the call of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak for convening a five-fold summit and the reasons for not convening it, Shaath said, "We do not accuse anyone of stumbling and we are with the coordination especially with the Arab parties so that we do not become a toy in Israel's hand."

He stated the Palestinian desire to get Israel out from all the occupied Arab lands in the Syrian Golan, south Lebanon and Palestine.