China says it respects legitimacy of Abbas & Palestinian National Authority http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2007-06/18/content_6259135.htm
www.chinaview.cn 2007-06-18
Special report: Internal situation in Palestine
BEIJING, June 18 (Xinhua) -- China on Monday said it respects the legitimate status of President Mahmoud Abbas and the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) while calling on Palestinian forces to end conflicts.
"The Chinese government respects the legitimate status of President Abbas and the Palestinian National Authority," said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang.
Qin said China "strongly calls for Palestinian factions to end conflicts and solve their concerns through dialogue and consultations so as to safeguard the fundamental interests of the Palestinian people."
The 12th Palestinian government, an emergency one, was sworn in before President Abbas in West Bank city of Ramallah on Sunday, replacing the two-month-old unity government led by Hamas.
On Thursday, Abbas sacked the Palestinian government led by Hamas after he considered Hamas attacks against Palestinian Authority facilities in Gaza as a coup.
Independent Salam Fayyad was then asked to set up the emergency government one day after Abbas' decision to dismantle the unity government, which took office on March 17.
However, Hamas rejected Abbas' decision to sack the unity government and considered the emergency government as "illegitimate." Abbas swears in new emergency gov't in W. Bank
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas (R5), the new Prime Minister Sallam Fayyad (R4) and other members of the Palestinian emergency government take a group photo after the swearing in ceremony in the West Bank city of Ramallah, June 17, 2007. (Xinhua Photo/Guo Lei)
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RAMALLAH, June 17 (Xinhua) -- The 12th Palestinian government, an emergency one, was sworn in before President Mahmoud Abbas in West Bank city of Ramallah on Sunday, replacing the two-month-old unity government led by Hamas.
According to the footage of the official Palestinian Television, 11 ministers of the new government, including two female ministers, took their oath before President Abbas and new Prime Minister Sallam Fayyad one by one with their hand on the Holy Book of Quran. Full story
Editor: Song Shutao
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