Jerusalem, May 28: Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmud Abbas dismissed the 14 reservations Israel has formulated on the roadmap for peace in the Middle East, in an interview to the Israeli daily 'Haaretz'.
"We don't accept each side picking and choosing only those specific elements that are convenient for them in the roadmap," he told the newspaper yesterday.
The Palestinian government has unconditionally adopted the blueprint - which paves the way for the creation of a Palestinian state in 2005 - but while Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's cabinet has accepted the plan, it attached 14 reservations.
"They don't interest me," Abbas told 'Haaretz'. "The map was prepared last December and we accepted it, despite our own comments and reservations. We wanted to give this initiative a chance, but it's impossible to continue inventing comment and reservations after it was submitted," he added.
The internationally drafted plan, which calls for an end to the violence, a freeze to Israel's settlement activity and a troop withdrawal to pre-Intifada lines, was presented to the two parties a month ago.
"We understood from the Americans that there are no changes in the roadmap," he stressed.
"We are saying to the Israelis, 'follow the map and don't waste time haggling over details'. We must get into the implementation phase," Abbas said.
"It is vital the two peoples feel something is changing on the ground. In any case nobody will pay any intention to this or that reservation," he added.
Bureau Report
