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Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas
 (AP)
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Last update - 10:36 09/02/2010
Palestinians seeks U.S. clarification on proposal to renew Mideast talks
By Reuters
Tags: Israel news, Mahmoud Abbas 
 

Palestinian leaders have not set specific terms on which they would accept a U.S. offer to mediate indirect peace talks with Israel, and expect clarification on such talks in a week, President Mahmoud Abbas
said on Tuesday.

The United States has proposed circumventing a dispute preventing the resumption of talks, stalled for more than a year since a war in Gaza, by reconvening in the form of "proximity talks" on an indirect basis, under closer U.S. mediation.
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Israel has agreed to the formula but Abbas has said he will announce a decision after hearing answers to some questions he has put to Washington.

"The Palestinian side has not set any conditions in particular," said Abbas, speaking to reporters in Japan through an interpreter, when he asked under what conditions he would accept the U.S. offer on the proximity talks.

Speaking at a seminar in Tokyo, Abbas added that his government was keeping the door open to the U.S. proposal, but stressed that he was still waiting to hear from Washington.

Abbas said that he expected U.S. Middle East special envoy George Mitchell to get back to him with further clarification about the talks a week from now. After that, his government could consult with other Arab leaders and make a decision, he added.

His comments came a day after Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Malki, visiting Tokyo with Abbas, said the proximity talks should focus on border issues and their timeframe should be limited to a maximum of three to four months.

Peace talks were halted more than a year ago over the war in the Gaza Strip and have not resumed, due largely to a Palestinian demand that Israel first impose a complete freeze on building in the West Bank and East Jerusalem and Israel's refusal to do so.

Abbas has rejected a limited, 10-month construction freeze ordered by Israel in November as insufficient, particularly for excluding Jerusalem.
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The results are in
Who was your pick for the most influential person of the decade?
  1.   Abbas still begging for charity from Washington! 11:15  |  Realist 09/02/10
  2.   Right move - if the US requests further talks, what do they 12:02  |  Ronen 09/02/10
  3.   Spineless 12:55  |  jake 1948 09/02/10
  4.   Only thing to clarify: Arab acceptance of Israel`s right to be, 13:03  |  Eitan 09/02/10
  5.   Eitan ---please correct your address--Qatzrin is in Syria 14:43  |  labhras 09/02/10
  6.   #4 Err, Eitan.... 15:25  |  Johnboy 09/02/10
  7.   Clarity? Here is some clarity 15:26  |  Natallie Durson 09/02/10
  8.   Why Is The Onus On the Palestinians? 15:44  |  Yaakov Sullivan 09/02/10
  9.   this has got to be really funny abbas doesnt 16:11  |  vhardman 09/02/10
  10.   Clarification on peace talks 16:25  |  Eugene Gordon 09/02/10
  11.   #5 labarse of arabia competes with nostradamus 16:47  |  vhardman 09/02/10
  12.   Obama`s not interested in the ME peace 16:49  |  Lynn 09/02/10
  13.   No Gits From the USA for Palestine 16:45  |  Vladek 10/02/10
  14.   #4 Eitan 00:31  |  Ron 11/02/10
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