By IRNA,
Berlin : The President of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, is reportedly ready to begin direct talks with Israel following massive western pressure.
The German press agency, dpa, cited a letter, which European Union foreign policy supremo, Catherine Ashton, sent to EU foreign ministers on Thursday, indicating that direct peace talks between Israel and the
Palestinian Authority could start this month.
“President Abbas is very close to accepting direct talks, but has requested a few more days for final consultations … In principle, (he) should be in a position to give a definitive answer by Sunday or early next week,” Catherine Ashton wrote in the letter.
If Abbas agrees to direct talks on terms, which Israel also accepts, “direct negotiations would be launched later in August,” she wrote.
The PA had so far resisted to engage in direct negotiations with the Zionist regime, insisting on seeing some “progress” from the Israeli side before moving to direct talks.
Abbas had callled for a total stop to settlement activities in the occupied
territories.
EU foreign ministers are scheduled to hold an informal meeting in Brussels on September 10 and 11.