Originally published by the Voice of America (www.voanews.com).
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October 22, 2007

Palestinian President Optimistic Middle East Crisis Can Be Solved
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http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=19F804E:A6F02AD83191E160FE801178F0BF76BE9574F7DCC14957C0 During joint news
conference with Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, Mahmoud
Abbas expressed confidence Mideast crisis will be solve by end of 2008
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said he hopes peace negotiations
to establish a Palestinian state will be successfully concluded by the
end of 2008. On a visit to Indonesia, he also stressed the importance
of reconciliation with Hamas in order to end the Middle East crisis.
VOA's Nancy-Amelia Collins in Jakarta has more.







Mahmoud Abbas, left, with Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono in Jakarta, 22 Oct
2008 Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas told a joint news conference
with Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono in Jakarta Monday
he was confident the Middle East crisis would be solved by the end of
2008.

Mr. Abbas is on an Asian tour to win support from Muslim leaders ahead
of a U.S.-sponsored meeting with Israel. Due to be held in the U.S.
state of Maryland later this year, that meeting aims to find a way for
the two sides to return to the negotiating table after seven years of
bloodshed.

Mr. Abbas says both sides are working on a document to be presented at
the meeting. It is supposed to address a range of difficult issues
surrounding Palestinian statehood, such as the drawing of borders,
what to do with the millions of Palestinian refugees, and the fate of
Jerusalem.

Speaking to reporters in Arabic, Mr. Abbas says he hopes both sides
can make the document acceptable to all parties - the Palestinians,
Israelis, and the international community.

Mr. Abbas also stressed the importance of reconciliation with Hamas
and acknowledged that Hamas is a part of Palestine and cannot be
separate.

But the Palestinian president warns that because Hamas carried out a
coup d'etat against the legitimate government it could divide
Palestine and dissolve the peace efforts. He says they must work to
together to achieve their goals.

President Yudhoyono said he welcomed U.S. efforts to help with the
Middle East crisis and said Indonesia was also taking part in efforts
to support the peace process.

He says Indonesia, along with other Asian countries and South Africa
will arrange a conference about "capacity building" for Palestinians.
He did not elaborate.

Indonesia is a secular, democratic nation with the world's largest
number of Muslims. Mr. Yudhoyono is keen for the nation to take a more
active role in resolving the crisis in the Middle East.


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