-17-politics/Palestinians threaten to boycott donor conference

  • 12/15/2022
  • 22:57
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RAMALLAH, West Bank, Sept 6, SPA -- Palestinians will boycott a conference of international donors this month unless theagenda is expanded to include the internationally backed"road map" peace plan, the foreign minister said Monday. Nabil Shaath said the Palestinians want the conference,scheduled Sept. 23 in New York, to be postponed soorganizers can amend the schedule. "If this meeting has an acceptable agenda, we willattend," Shaath told The Associated Press. "But if itstays as it is, we will not attend." The Palestinian Authority relies on international donorsfor about 60 percent of its annual budget. The current agenda of the coming donor meeting focuses onIsrael's planned withdrawal from the Gaza Strip and theeasing of travel restrictions on Palestinians, Shaath said. The road map is a far more comprehensive plan that aimsfor an independent Palestinian state by next year. In a letter sent recently to the "Quartet" of road mapsponsors, Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia soughtassurances that the Gaza withdrawal will be the first stepin implementing the road map. The letter said the Gazapullout must be accompanied by a full withdrawal from theWest Bank.--SPA1217 Local Time 0917 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/198543

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