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Thursday, December 9, 2004
Clarification: Abbas called for return to "Palestine"

Abbas says armed struggle is over
Palestinian presidential candidate insists right of return is paramount
By Mayssam Zaaroura and Nada Bakri
[Beirut] Daily Star staff Thursday, December 09, 2004
www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_id=1&categ_id=2&article_id=10838

[IMRA: Nada Bakri told IMRA this afternoon that Abbas actually said in
Arabic that all Palestinian refugees must have the right to return to
"Palestine". They made the editorial interpretation into English that
"Palestine" meant the "Occupied Palestinian Territories".]

BEIRUT: Palestine Liberation Organization chief Mahmoud Abbas said the armed
struggle for the Palestinian people is over and it is now time for the
"democratic route to liberation."

His comments came as he warned that the Palestinian Authority "would not
able to take control of Gaza if Israel withdraws" adding "it would lead to a
civil war ... we are not ready - security wise - to take over."

Speaking during his historic visit to Lebanon Wednesday Abbas also
reiterated that all Palestinian refugees must have the right to return to
the Occupied Palestinian Territories in line with UN Resolution 194.

Abbas' comments came during his first visit to Lebanon since the PLO's
forced departure from the country in 1982.

Referring to the two-year-long intifada in the Occupied Territories, Abbas
said "Ninety-nine percent of Palestinian people are in favor of calming the
situation down. What we have now is not an intifada or armed struggle; we
merely have the use of weapons."

He added: "The Palestinian citizen has lost all sense of security and
well-being, so if we provide him with security, his life is brought back. It
is an equation of providing safety in anticipation of independence.
Establishing security on the Occupied Palestinian Territories and providing
security and stability for the Palestinian people is the paramount issue in
our cause."
Commenting on the death of Yasser Arafat, Abbas said: "The departure of Abu
Ammar created an expected chaos and we will never be able to replace him."

But he added that "the chaos which arose" created the "need to unite and
present a democratic establishment to the international community."

Abbas recalled the secret negotiations that were taking place between U.S.
President George W. Bush, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and National
Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice prior to the Israeli announcement of its
intended withdrawal from the Gaza Strip.

"Sharon told Bush that he would withdraw from Gaza in return for keeping the
settlements in the West Bank," said Abbas.

But, Abbas added that there were two "minor" issues that Sharon insisted
upon - keeping the West Bank settlements and rejecting the Palestinians'
right to return.

UN 194 for the Palestinians - whether the authority, the factions or the
people - is not an issue for debate and is a common goal, which since the
Oslo Accord in 1993 was not even ever allowed to be put forth, according to
Prime Minister Ahmed Qorei ("Abu Alaa").

The negotiations between the authority and the numerous factions proved the
unity of their vision, which consists of establishing an independent state
and the right to return.

"We have a common political agenda," said Abbas, but the factions disagreed
on the methods taken to implement it.

"The factions' major dissent, after Arafat's death, was the swift
appointment of the presidential election date," which has been set for Jan.
9, 2005 by Interim-President Rawhi Fattouh.

The Palestinian Constitution states that when the leader passes away, an
interim president must be appointed immediately and the date for electing a
new leader must be set within 60 days.

As to the factions' statement to boycott the elections, Qorei said they are
asking for participation in the political role and for setting a clear,
common political agenda.

"We consider this as their legitimate right," he said, adding that "90
percent are going to participate in the elections."

As to Palestinian grass-roots leader Marwan Barghouti, Abbas said he would
be happy if he remains in the race.

"In fact, I wish there were more candidates running, because then we can
show the world that we have democratic elections and I would personally wish
the winner the best of luck," said Abbas, who re-iterated several times that
he had been nominated by his party members.

In response to whether he would consider extending his term mandate if
elected president, Abbas said "do not confuse Palestine with Lebanon. I did
not present myself for election, I was nominated."

The Palestinian Authority leaders arrived in Beirut morning is the first
step to mending the tense relations between Lebanon and the authority.

The visit follows a similar fence-mending trip to Syria on Monday and
Tuesday, where Abbas and Qorei held talks with Assad and opposition groups.

But from the reception awaiting Abu Mazen and Abu Alaa, no such evidence of
a past marked by war marred the visit.

Qorei even stated that there had been talks with Lebanese officials for
establishing an embassy and diplomatic representation in Lebanon.

He added that the talks also focused on the situation of the camps in
Lebanon, stressing that the steps have been taken to begin improving the
status-quo until the refugees could return home.

The delegation headed straight to the Sabra and Shatilla camps on arrival
where they laid wreaths on the graves of the victims of the Sabra and
Shatilla massacre.

President Emile Lahoud, in turn, said that Lebanon fully supported the
Palestinian people in their struggle to recover their rights, liberate their
land, secure the return of all Palestinian refugees and establish an
independent Palestinian state.

Addressing the delegation, he added that a just, lasting and comprehensive
peace in the region could not be achieved.

He stressed that it was important to maintain coordination between the new
Palestinian leadership and Arab countries, especially Lebanon and Syria, to
meet all challenges in the region.

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