Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas on Saturday welcomed a French initiative aimed at resuming peace talks between Palestinians and Israel.

“We welcome the new initiative announced by French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius to hold an international conference to resume the peace process and resolve the Palestinian issue based on a two-state solution,” Abbas said at the 26th session of the Assembly of the African Union in Addis Ababa.

Abbas stressed the need to hold an international conference devoted to the issue and activate the UN Security Council’s role vis-a-vis the Palestinian national cause.

He also urged the international community to end the Israeli occupation through an abiding Security Council resolution and to provide international protection for the Palestinian people.

“Peace negotiations must have a time limit and guarantee the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital,” he said.

On Friday, French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius announced France’s support for an international conference aimed at resuming stalled peace talks.

Fabius said that, if the conference ended in failure, France would unilaterally recognize the state of Palestine.

(MEMO)