Abbas to Visit Beirut as Cabinet Decides to ‘Establish Diplomatic Ties with Palestine’
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas is expected to head to Beirut next week to meet with top Lebanese officials, As Safir newspaper reported on Friday.
“Abbas will visit Lebanon on Aug. 16 and 17,” Palestinian sources told the daily.
The sources said that Abbas will hold talks with President Michel Suleiman and Speaker Nabih Berri on Aug. 16, the same day Suleiman will hold an Iftar banquette on his honor.
The Palestinian president will meet with Prime Minister Najib Miqati and visit the Palestinian embassy in Beirut on Aug. 17.
The sources noted that the main reason behind Abbas’ visit is to discuss the Palestinian bid to approach the Security Council in September to seek membership for a Palestinian state on the lines that existed before the 1967 Six Day War, to include the West Bank, Gaza and east Jerusalem.
The discussions will also tackle the situation in Palestine amid the Israeli settlement policies, they added.
The sources said Abbas’ meeting with top Lebanese officials will tackle the situation of the Palestinian refugees in Lebanon.
The cabinet has decided to discuss on the eve of Abbas’ visit “measures to implement the government’s decision to establish diplomatic relations with the state of Palestine.”
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