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Palestinian and French Presidents Meet in Paris
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http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=16637B5:A6F02AD83191E1605D431B1E246BBFF99574F7DCC14957C0 President Mahmoud
Abbas says new Palestinian unity government should not be subjected to
aid embargo





French President Jacques Chirac, left, with Palestinian President
Mahmoud Abbas, right, at the Elysee Palace, in Paris, 24 Feb
2007Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas continued his push Saturday to
get an international economic embargo on his Palestinian Authority
lifted.

Mr. Abbas's latest effort came in a meeting with French President
Jacques Chirac in Paris.

After the meeting, Mr. Abbas told reporters the new Palestinian unity
government should not be subjected to the aid embargo.

The Palestinian president did not give any indication that European
nations had decided to resume aid.

On Friday, Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal said some European countries
had already decided to resume aid to the Palestinian government.

Diplomats from the European Union, Russia, the United Nations and the
United States - the International Quartet - have said the Palestinian
government must recognize Israel's right to exist, renounce violence,
and honor previous peace deals before sanctions will be lifted.

Meshaal declined to name the countries at a Friday news conference in
Cairo, one stop on his tour seeking to promote the new Palestinian
unity government and urge an end to international sanctions.

Mr. Abbas, leader of the Fatah party, has said the new government is
committed to rejecting violence and accepting previous accords. But he
said the new power sharing deal does not include recognition of
Israel, a condition rejected by Hamas.

Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.


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