By Xinhua
Ramallah : Palestinian Authority (PA) on Tuesday urged U.S. President George W. Bush, who will start a Mideast tour on Wednesday, to ask Israel to stop expanding settlements in the West Bank.
“We expect that President Bush will press Israel to freeze settlement activities and stress to end the occupation of the Palestinian land as perpetration for the two-sate solution,” said Nabil Abu Rdineh, spokesman for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.
“We look forward to the continuation of the American efforts with the Israeli side in order to start serious negotiations that will lead to a fair and lasting peace in the region,” Abu Rdineh added.
Bush will arrive in Israel and the Palestinian territories, as part of his regional tour, to push forward the Israeli-Palestinian peace talks, which were renewed last month following a U.S.-sponsored peace conference.
But the continuation of Israel’s settlement activities has crippled the talks.
Abu Rdineh said Abbas considers Bush’s visit as “historic and important which will push the peace process forward.”
“The Palestinians expect a U.S. commitment to keep moving the peace process forward to reach a solution before the end of 2008,”Abu Rdineh said.