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 | | From: | United Press International | | Subject: | Carter hails Palestinian poll | | Date: | Mon, 10 Jan 2005 10:01:39 EST |
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RAMALLAH, West Bank, Jan. 10 (UPI) -- Former U.S. President
and chief international observer Jimmy Carter described the
Palestinian presidential poll as free and honest.
Speaking Monday after a visit with President-elect Mahmoud
Abbas, Carter told journalists in Ramallah: "I came to congratulate
Abu Mazen (Abbas) on his victory in free and honest elections."
Carter said he believes the results of the poll opened the
way for the resumption of the stalled peace negotiations between
Israel and the Palestinians.
"The whole world is excited by the results of the elections
which create the possibility of reactivating the peace process and
achieving justice for the Palestinian people so that they can live
in peace with Israel as neighbors and friends," Carter said.
"I am praying for that and I believe these elections are an
important step towards achieving that objective," he added.
In a related development, Abbas received a congratulatory
phone call Monday from Israeli Labor Party leader Shimon Peres.
Abbas, chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organization,
won nearly 63 percent of the vote, becoming the second president of
the Palestinian Authority after the late Yasser Arafat.
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