Abbas: Palestinians not to accept temporary borders

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said Sunday the Palestinians will not accept a state with temporary borders. "Temporary borders will not end the conflict, they will only prolong it," Abbas said when addressing the World Economic Forum held in Jordan in the presence of Israeli President Shimon Peres and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry. The Palestinians want the creation of a Palestinian state within the 1967 borders, he said, urging Israel to adopt the Arab Peace Initiative put forward by Saudi Arabia in 2002 and agreed upon by all Arab states. The peace initiative offered Israel normal ties with the Arab countries in return for withdrawal from territories it occupied in 1967. Abbas noted that the initiative is essential to end the decades- long conflict between the two sides and reach desired peace. Kerry, for his part, called on Israel and the Palestinians to reach a political agreement, warning that the lack of peace may result in war. Meanwhile, Peres stressed the importance of resuming Israeli- Palestinian peace talks as soon as possible to end the conflict and realize peace.