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Abbas tells Powell he is committed to Palestinian ceasefire
Jericho (West Bank) June 13: Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmud Abbas is committed to convincing militant Palestinian factions to accept a ceasefire agreement with Israeli forces, he told US Secretary of State Colin Powell by telephone.
Jericho (West Bank) June 13: Palestinian Prime
Minister Mahmud Abbas is committed to convincing militant
Palestinian factions to accept a ceasefire agreement with
Israeli forces, he told US Secretary of State Colin Powell by
telephone.
"Mr. Abbas promised he would try to restore the calm and
succeed in having the different Palestinian factions accept
the ceasefire in order to promote the application of the
'roadmap'," information minister Nabil Amr said yesterday.
In the conversation with Powell, Abbas said he had
already asked Palestinian groups to "stop the violence", which
has escalated sharply after two peace talks earlier this
month.
In a sign of a radical shift in Palestinian political
rhetoric, Palestinian authority head Yasser Arafat and Abbas
for the first time Wednesday described Palestinian attacks as
"terrorist operations".
In a statement, Abbas condemned as a "terrorist" attack suicide bombing claimed by Islamic movement Hamas which killed 16 people and the bomber in central Jerusalem. He also condemned a rapid succession of Israeli strikes that have left scores dead. Bureau Report
In a statement, Abbas condemned as a "terrorist" attack suicide bombing claimed by Islamic movement Hamas which killed 16 people and the bomber in central Jerusalem. He also condemned a rapid succession of Israeli strikes that have left scores dead. Bureau Report