Ashton: Palestine Prepared to Sit on Negotiation Table

President of the Palestinian Authority Mahmoud Abbas. Photo by EPA/BGNES

The Palestinian Authority wants to start direct talks with Israel, according to information sent out by EU foreign affairs high representative Catherine Ashton to EU foreign ministers, reported EUobserver.com.

"President Abbas is very close to accepting direct talks, but has requested a few more days for final consultations," said Ashton in a letter sent in preparation of the 27 foreign ministers' informal meeting September 10-11.

The EU high representative predicted that talks would begin as early as the second half of August. They would most likely exclude Hamas.

This Wednesday, Israeli President Shimon Peres, who was on an official visit to Bulgaria, said that talks with Palestinians are possible and desirable.

Peres praised Bulgaria's role and potential in contributing to the peace process in the Middle East, saying that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' recent visit to Sofia in mid-July is “no coincidence” with his own.

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