The Palestinian Authority's strategy ahead of indirect Palestinian-Israeli negotiations tops the agenda of talks between King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Riyadh Tuesday. Abbas will discuss a range of issues, with both sides also looking to strengthen trade, economic and political relations between Riyadh and Ramallah. “The visit is part of a series of important meetings with the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques to discuss developments in Palestine,” Abbas told Okaz/Saudi Gazette. “They reflect the wish of both sides to strengthen relations and push forward political dialogue to support the resolve of the Palestinian people and their legitimate aspirations.” Abbas said that the Kingdom played an “outstanding” role in its “continuous support” for the Palestinian cause and in helping strengthen “resolve and hopes for the creation of an independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital”. “The Kingdom has also worked to resolve the Arab-Israeli conflict through the enforcement of international law,” Abbas said. The Palestinian president also noted the Kingdom's “continuous contact with friendly Western countries and the US administration” to pressure Israel into complying with international law requiring complete Israeli withdrawal from all Arab lands occupied since 1967, as well as its demands for urgent intervention from the international community to halt Israeli aggression against the Palestinian people. “I will be listening to King Abdullah's views on the launching of indirect negotiations with the Israelis and hear his advice on the Arab world's moves in the upcoming period for Arab reconciliation,” he said. Abbas is accompanied on his visit by senior officials, among them chief negotiator Saeb Erakat, Yasser Abd-Rabu, a member of Fatah's Central Committee, and Nabil Abu Radaina, spokesman for the Palestinian Authority. Abbas arrives in the Kingdom following his visit to the United Arab Emirates, and is scheduled to arrive in Cairo Wednesday before meeting with the Palestinian Liberation Organization's executive committee Saturday. – Okaz/SG to take a decision on starting indirect negotiations with Israel. Abbas said previously that indirect negotiations would begin following approval from the PLO, and expected them to last four months. Abbas is also scheduled to meet Friday with US special envoy for the Middle East George Mitchell. Meanwhile, US President Barak Obama's Middle East peace envoy George Mitchell arrived in Tel Aviv Monday for expected indirect talks.
