Abbas disagrees with Rice on temporary borders

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas told US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Sunday he opposes the establishment of a provisional Palestinian state in temporary borders...

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas told US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Sunday he opposes the establishment of a provisional Palestinian state in temporary borders, a key part of the US-backed “road map” peace plan.

Palestinian officials in recent weeks have grown increasingly wary of the idea, which was also proposed by Israel’s foreign minister, fearing they will be stuck indefinitely with a truncated state.

“We reaffirmed to Secretary Rice our rejection of any temporary or transitional solutions, including a state with temporary borders, because we don’t see in it as a realistic option,” he told a joint news conference with Rice.

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Abbas confidant Mohammed Dahlan said after the meeting that Rice “showed understanding” for the Palestinian position.

During the news conference, Rice reiterated the US commitment to the road map, but did not address the idea of a provisional state.

“My work is going to be best targeted, I think, in these next months on trying to accelerate progress on the road map, which after all would lead us then to a Palestinian state and to helping the Palestinians and Israelis think through the political horizon,” she said.

She said she was told during her trip that the US needed to deepen its involvement in Mideast peace efforts. “You will have my commitment to do precisely that,” she said.

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“The Palestinian people have waited a long time for their own state. The Israeli people have waited a long time to live in security and peace with their neighbours,” she said, adding that she and US President George W Bush were willing to do what was needed to make that a reality.

Abbas also said he is determined to go ahead with early presidential and legislative polls if the latest round of coalition talks with Hamas fails.

Abbas’ envoys and Hamas have reported progress after two weeks of secret negotiations, though talks broke down repeatedly in the past over the distribution of key Cabinet portfolios and the government’s programme.

Abbas said it was premature to talk about a possible meeting between him and the supreme Hamas leader, Khaled Mashaal, who is based in Syria. Abbas is to visit Syria later this month.

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The Palestinian leader said early elections are still an option. “We hope and we work to achieve this (a unity government) as soon as possible,” he said. If not, “we will return to the people and hold the early parliamentary and presidential elections,” he added.