MOSCOW. Jan 21 (Interfax) - The Arab-Israeli talks need a negotiating platform similar to the Geneva II conference, said Nabil Shaath, a Central Committee member in the Palestinian movement Fatah.
"What is needed is international negotiating arena like Geneva II or Geneva I. This is different from the Quartet (of the international negotiators over the Arab-Israeli conflict) and this may be suggested after April 29, but we will continue with the Americans until April 29," Shaath told Interfax in Moscow on Tuesday after meeting with experts from the Russian International Affairs Council (RIAC).
The Palestinian-Israeli talks resumed in the summer of 2013 with the U.S. mediation after a three-year break. The talks are expected to continue for nine months, until April 29, and upon their completion an agreement is due to be prepared on the conflict resolution and the creation of the Palestinian State.
"If there is no agreement by April 29 we are going back to the UN and all our non-violent actions in the world and internally in order to get our right (to an independent state)," Shaath said.
Palestine is already holding talks with certain members of the international community on how the situation will evolve after April 29, he said. "That is why I'm here (in Russia)," the Palestinian representative said.
"There has been no progress so far" at the talks, he said.
"I'm not saying it [the role of the United States] is good or bad, I'm not trying to evaluate the efforts of Mr. Kerry, I think he spent a lot of effort, but there is not progress because the Israeli side has gone back against all the commitments that were made before and agreements signed and terms of reference that were agreed to," Shaath said.
The problems being discussed today are far from the earlier agreements, he said.
"Instead of moving forward there has been no movement, we are just being engaged on problems that Israel wants to maintain its army forever in the Jordan River valley and wants us to recognize Israel as a Jewish state although 21% of its population are Christians and Muslim Palestinians," the high-ranking Palestinian representative said.