Abbas: Keep helping us
2006-01-30 21:27
Ramallah - Palestinian leader Mahmud Abbas on Monday urged the international community to maintain its financial aid to the Palestinians and reiterated his commitment to pursuing peace talks with Israel.
"Our talks focused on the need to continue this aid so that our people can stand on their own feet," he told a joint news conference with visiting German Chancellor Angela Merkel in the West Bank town of Ramallah.
Abbas was speaking as key world powers sought to thrash out a strategy toward Hamas after its stunning Palestinian poll win, with some Europeans and the US warning the group to renounce violence or face aid cuts.
On Sunday, Merkel said it would be "unthinkable" for Brussels to continue supplying funds to a Hamas-inclusive Palestinian leadership unless the group renounced violence, recognised Israel's right to exist and accepted all existing international agreements.
- AFP