Arab League contacts U.S. over suspension of PLO's Washington office
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E-mail Xinhua, November 20, 2017
CAIRO, Nov. 19 (Xinhua) -- Arab League (AL) Chief Ahmed Aboul-Gheit started to contact the U.S. administration over its suspension of the office of Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) in Washington, the AL said on Sunday.
Aboul-Gheit discussed with the Palestinian Foreign Minister Riad Malki on Sunday during a meeting in Cairo the U.S. threats to close the PLO's office in Washington, according to an AL statement.
The AL chief has informed Malki of his contacts with the United States to reach a solution in a way that maintains the U.S.-Palestinian communications channels, especially at the time "everyone is anticipating a U.S. initiative to resume Middle East peace process," according to the statement.
The Palestinian minister informed Aboul-Gheit of the position of the PLO concerning the U.S. suspension, saying the move could seriously harm the peace process and the U.S. role in the talks between the Palestinians and Israelis.
On Friday, the U.S. State Department announced it would close the PLO office in Washington because the Palestinians have disobeyed the U.S. law by calling for the prosecution of the Israelis by the International Criminal Court (ICC).
On Saturday, the PLO Secretary General Saeb Erekat said that "the U.S. State Department notified us with an official letter that they cannot certify the continuing opening of the PLO office in Washington D.C., due to the fact that we are pursuing and encouraging the ICC."
Erekat added "we responded to them with an official letter saying that if they officially close the PLO office in Washington, we will put on hold all our communications with the U.S. administration."
Spokesperson for the Palestinian President, Nabil Abu Rdeineh expressed Saturday his "deep surprise," according to a statement published by the official Palestinian news agency WAFA. Enditem
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