Erekat denies US plans made to palestinian authority to resume negotiations

PLO Executive Committee Member, Saeb Erekat, Sunday denied claims of US initiatives or plans made to the Palestinian Authority in order to resume negotiations with Israel, in an interview with a local radio station. Talks with US administrations continue whereas President Mahmoud Abbas will meet the Special Envoy of the Quartet on the Middle East, Tony Blair, on Tuesday, but the Palestinian leadership didn’t receive any plans or initiatives from US or the Quartet for resuming negotiations, he added. Erekat, in response to New York Times newspaper’s allegations that a US plan to resume peace talks with Israel was introduced to PA, reiterated that “the Palestinian bid to gain full United Nations membership of a Palestinian state doesn’t contradict the peace process and resuming negotiations.” “Heading to UN is part of a Palestinian strategy to establish a Palestinian state within 1967 borders and East Al-Quds (Jerusalem) as its capital, ” Erekat was quoted as saying by Palestine News and Information Agency "WAFA".