By NNN-WAFA,
Sharm El-Sheikh (Egypt) : Palestine President Mahmoud Abbas said on Sunday that he reviewed with Egyptian President Mohamed Hosni Mubarak the outcome of his tour which included both Russia and the United States of America.
Speaking to reporters after meeting Mubarak here, Abbas said their talks dealt with the subject of calm and the Palestinian-Israeli negotiations, stressing the importance of the Egyptian role in this field.
‘We are still negotiating on the issues of the six final issues of the peace process.’
President Abbas expressed the Palestinian National Authority’s (PNA) full support for the Egyptian role and efforts of the Minister Omar Suleiman regarding calm, pointing out that the calm is a Palestinian interest as it alleviates the suffering of our people and contributes in opening the crossings.
President also stressed that the PNA supports without any reservations or conditions and the determined efforts exerted by Egypt to achieve this calm in Gaza.
President made it clear that he asked the American side during his recent visit to playing more effectively to achieve the desired political settlement.
Meanwhile in WASHINGTON, the World Bank said on Sunday that the Palestinian economy won’t grow this year, largely due to Israeli restrictions on movement.
In a report, the Bank noted that the Gaza economy has sharply contracted because of the virtually complete closure of the Gaza Strip by Israel and Egypt after the violent Hamas takeover there last year.
The World Bank estimated that the Gross Domestic Product — currently at about $4 billion — will grow by only 3 percent in 2008.
‘That, taking into account population growth, leaves per capita income static, if not lower than the previous year,’ the report said.
In the West Bank, where Israel maintains a network of hundreds of checkpoints, gates and earthen barriers, GDP growth was only modest, the Bank said.
In TUNIS, French President Nicolas Sarkozy said that he intended to harness the French Presidency of the European Union to work on improving the lives of the Palestinian people.
In an interview published in al-Shourouk Tunisian daily newspaper on Saturday, President Sarkozy explained that peace will presume to recognize the right of Palestinians to have their independent, developed and viable state living in peace and security alongside Israel.
In other development, the Municipality of KHAN YOUNIS in southern Gaza Strip announced on Sunday the halt of its services completely due to run out of fuel due to the unjust siege imposed on the Gaza Strip by the Israeli occupation.
In a prèss release, the Municipality’s Mayor Fayez Abu Shammala said the humanitarian situation is very disastrous, adding that the situation in Khan Yunis governorate is moving toward environmental catastrophe if Israeli occupation continues preventing supplying of fuel into the Gaza Strip.
Abu Shammala confirmed that dangers and humanitarian disasters are imminent, as nearly a quarter million citizens reside in the governorate of Khan Younis and its environs, which is absolutely intolerable and worsening daily because of suspension of municipal services in all areas.