Post by Salem6 on Mar 18, 2005 17:59:35 GMT
Associated Press
17 March 2005
www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/news/local/11163017.htm
The following is the text of declaration issued by 13 Palestinian
groups issued Thursday at the end of three days of meetings in this
satellite city of Cairo.
The text refers to the "Judaization" of Jerusalem, meaning the
settling of Israelis in east Jerusalem, which Palestinians regard as
the capital of their future state. It also refers to changing the
Palestinian election law to allow for "an equal division (of seats)
in a mixed system." This means the law will changed so that half of
the Palestinian assembly is elected on a constituency basis and half
by proportional representation.
Cairo Declaration:
(1) Those gathered confirmed their adherence to Palestinian
principles, without any neglect, and the right of the Palestinian
people to resistance in order to end the occupation, establish a
Palestinian state with full sovereignty with Jerusalem as its
capital, and the guaranteeing of the right of return of refugees to
their homes and property.
(2) Those gathered agreed on a program for the year 2005, centered
on the continuation of the atmosphere of calm in return for Israel's
adherence to stopping all forms of aggression against our land and
our Palestinian people, no matter where they are, as well as the
release of all prisoners and detainees.
(3) Those gathered confirmed that the continuation of settlement and
the construction of the wall and the Judaization of Jerusalem are
explosive issues.
(4) Those gathered explored the internal Palestinian situation and
agreed on the necessity of completing total reform in all areas, of
supporting the democratic process in its various aspects and of
holding local and legislative elections at their determined time
according to an election law to be agreed upon. The conference
recommends to the Legislative Council that it take steps to amend
the legislative elections law, relying on an equal division (of
seats) in a mixed system, and it recommends that the law for
elections of local councils be amended on the basis of proportional
representation.
(5) Those gathered agreed to develop the Palestine Liberation
Organization on bases that will be settled upon in order to include
all the Palestinian powers and factions, as the organization is the
sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people. To do
this, it has been agreed upon to form a committee to define these
bases, and the committee will be made up of the president of the
National Council, the members of the PLO's Executive Committee, the
secretaries general of all Palestinian factions and independent
national personalities. The president of the executive committee
will convene this committee.
(6) Those gathered felt unanimously that dialogue is the sole means
of interaction among all the factions, as a support to national
unity and the unity of the Palestinian ranks. They were unanimous in
forbidding the use of weapons in internal disputes, respecting the
rights of the Palestinian citizen and refraining from violating
them, and that continuing dialogue through the coming period is a
basic necessity toward unifying our speech and preserving
Palestinian rights.