Palestinians 'could declare statehood'
21/02/2008
A senior aide to the Palestinian leader has said that his government could declare statehood if peace talks continue to yield no results.
Yasser Abed Rabbo made his comments just days after Kosovo declared independence from Serbia - a move which was backed by most western nations but met with criticism from Russia and China.
Those nations said that the secession could be a catalyst for global instability, encouraging separatists in breakaway regions across eastern Europe and the wider world to follow the same path.
Both countries are currently battling separatist movements on their own soil - in Chechnya and Tibet respectively.
Apparently giving weight to their arguments, Mr Rabbo told Reuters that Palestinians needed "real independence, not a declaration" and that if negotiations with Israel fail to yield results "we should take the step and announce our independence unilaterally".
He added: "Kosovo is not better than us. We deserve independence even before Kosovo and we ask for the backing of the United States and the European Union for our independence."
His superior, Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas, has been meeting Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert every fortnight since attending a US-backed peace conference in November - but progress is reported to have largely stalled.
While both sides have honoured an agreement to keep negotiation terms tightly under wraps, media reports suggest it is somewhat of an open secret that frustration and discontent is growing.
Previous efforts to broker a deal between the two historic enemies have faltered over the key issues of Israeli settlements, the 'right of return' for Palestinian exiles and the status of Jerusalem.
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