Interview with HE Qatar Prime Minister on Aljazeera Satellite Channel

Doha, May 02 (QNA) - Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, HE Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabor Al Thani, said he respects the Palestinian point of view expressed by Prime Minister of deposed Palestinian government in Gaza Strip, Ismail Haniyeh, on the borders and the respect of the borders. In an interview with Al Jazeera Channel TV aired tonight, HE the Premier and Foreign Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabor Al Thani added: "As we know when we talk about the history and the historical borders, we may disagree either consider the '48, 56 borders or the 67 borders....but as we know that many international resolutions, have determined the borders between Palestine and Israel according to the June 4th 1967 Line." HE the Premier said the Arab delegation that visited Washington is part of the Arab Peace Initiative Committee, led by the State of Qatar, adding that the claims about a Qatari proposal for land swap are 'false.' This proposal has been in the Arab League for several years and always gets mentioned in all Arab summits, most recently in Doha, he said, adding that the Palestinian President always proposes the 1967 borders. There was a proposal on land swap encompassing 1.5% of the West Bank and Gaza which could end the matter, he said HE Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabor Al Thani said the Arab proposal is not a new initiative and is based on the decisions of Arab summits and the concerned Arab committee. The initiative is in place and Palestinians' understandings with the former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert were also focused on this subject, and there was an agreement but it stalled later on, he explained. This issue was brought back to the table when the recent Arab summit in Doha agreed that Arabs should start to activate the Arab initiative, especially after the elections in the United States and Israel, Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim said, adding that based on it as well as the previous accords we went to Washington. Asked whether the amendment of the initiative will include East Jerusalem and Palestinian borders with Jordan and Egypt, HE Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim said: " We did not go to Washington to discuss a final resolution, because this is a Palestinian affair and Palestinians must discuss it with the Israelis through U.S. mediation." The Arab Committee went to Washington to explain the Arab stance not to negotiate, he said, adding that the Arab position sticks to the Arab initiative based on the 1967 borders and understandings included in previous Arab resolutions. HE the Premier stressed that no details were addressed in Washington because "we are not authorized to negotiate on behalf of the Palestinians, and we were there just to explain the Arab initiative." He noted that the meeting was attended by a Palestinian representative. This topic is not new, it was included in the Arab Imitative Committee's agenda and has been repeatedly discussed at Arab summits before, he said. He added that going to Washington was the right move because "we know Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is not serious about any issue related to peace," and the visit was a message to "Americans that Arabs are ready for peace but the other side is not." Through the visit, said Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, the Arab delegation wanted to "discuss the Americans' seriousness as mediators," and whether they will say the final word within few months. "According to the Arab plan if we do not succeed in this communication with the Americans, we will go again to the Security Council and the United Nations," HE Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim said. (QNA)