Abbas calls for resumption of peace talks with Sharon

[bemildred]

PLO chief and Palestinian Authority chairman candidate Mahmoud Abbas said Thursday that he considers Prime Minister Ariel Sharon a partner for peace talks and called for an immediate resumption of negotiations after the Palestinian election.

It was the latest sign that Abbas, the front-runner in the race, plans to reach out to Israel after Sunday's election, despite a series of recent hard-line speeches and campaign appearances with Palestinian gunmen.

"After the elections, we will start negotiations," Abbas told a news conference in Nablus, the West Bank's largest city.

Asked whether Sharon is a partner, Abbas said: "Ariel Sharon is an elected leader and we will negotiate with him. We will put the road map on the table and say that we are ready to implement it completely," he said.

Haaretz