Abbas pledges to unify security
23 nations at Palestinian talks in London
 | |
| |
|  VIDEO |
 Officials from 23 nations attend London Palestinian meeting
 Blair hosts conference on strengthening Palestinian infrastructure
 CNN's Robin Oakley reports on Blair's hopes for the conference
|
RELATED |
Rice presses for more aid for Palestinians
|
|
LONDON, England (CNN) -- Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas has told an international gathering in London that the Palestinian Authority has made a final decision to unify its patchwork security services, a move called for by the United States and Israel.
"The most important message is our readiness, our full readiness to work for the internal security," Abbas said Tuesday. "We have deployed forces and we have taken a final decision on uniting the security apparatus, and we will continue applying this decision."
The late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat had created a number of security organizations, ranging from police to his personal security force.
The lack of a unified command structure or a single official to whom they had to answer kept them from growing too powerful. There also were separate security forces in the West Bank and Gaza answering to different security chiefs.
The result was a patchwork of security organizations often competing with each other.
In addition to security issues, Abbas also reiterated the Palestinians' commitment to reforms in economic development.
British Prime Minister Tony Blair, who hosted the one-day meeting, told a news conference that the talks had led to "practical steps needed" to create a viable Palestinian state.
"What we have today is an agreement -- not just on behalf of the Palestinian Authority, which has got to usher in such a state, but also on behalf of the whole of the international community -- as to the practical steps, the foundation stones necessary to create that viable state," he said.
On Tuesday, Abbas also condemned last Friday's suicide bombing outside a Tel Aviv nightclub, which killed five people and injured 65.
"A few days ago Israeli civilians were victims of a suicide mission. We condemn this action and repeat that the extremist forces are still intent to destroy any efforts toward peace. They reject the path of democracy which the Palestinians are adamant to follow," Abbas said.
Later, he called the bombers "saboteurs of peace" and promised to bring them to justice.
Also attending Tuesday's gathering in London was U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, who said the prospects for peace between Israel and the Palestinians are the best in many years.
"We will keep doing all we can in the months and years ahead," she said at a news conference at the close of the meeting.
As the conference was taking place in London, Palestinian Interior Minister Nasr Yousef ordered the arrest of three militants of the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades after they fired into the air to protest Yousef's visit to Jenin. The incident was later resolved without any arrests or injuries. (Full story)
Meanwhile, Rice also addressed the planned Israeli withdrawal from some Palestinian areas.
"Israel must also take no action that prejudices a final settlement and must help ensure that a new Palestinian state is truly viable," Rice said. "A state of scattered territories will not work.
"Just as we all share a responsibility for peace, so too will we share in the benefits of peace," she said. "A free and democratic Palestine will energize the pace of reform in the broader Middle East and unleash a resounding chorus of hope throughout the wider world."
U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan, who also attended the London meeting, stressed the importance of establishing security on the ground.
"Put simply, lack of security undermines everything," Annan told the session.
But he said removal of Israeli checkpoints and roadblocks was needed to let the Palestinian economy function.
The international community must work with Israel to bring this about, he said.
"The prevailing mood is one of optimism," Annan said. "The parties have proclaimed ... their determination to work together. At long last we can all sense a new wave of movement."
While the meeting was not a peace summit, many officials had hoped the talks may reinvigorate the slow-moving Mideast peace process.
The Mideast Quartet, made up of the United Nations, European Union, Russia and the United States issued a statement on Tuesday calling for direct dialogue between Israel and the Palestinian Authority. (Full story)
Britain's Independent newspaper quoted Abbas as saying on Monday he believes peace with Israel is possible, but that an end to violence is a "mutual commitment."
"We have an opportunity and it would be irresponsible if we, the Israelis, or the world allow it to slip away," Abbas was quoted as saying in the interview, which was conducted by e-mail. (Full story)
CNN's Robin Oakley and John Vause contributed to this report.
Copyright 2005 CNN. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Associated Press contributed to this report.
