RAMALLAH, West Bank -- Palestine Liberation Organization Chairman Mahmoud Abbas said Wednesday he would hold talks with Israel after the Jan. 9 presidential elections.
"There has to be dialogue with Israel," he told a news conference in Ramallah to open his election campaign.
Abbas, who became PLO chairman following the Nov. 11 death of Yasser Arafat is regarded as the front-runner in the upcoming presidential elections.
"We will definitely meet with them (Israel) after the elections. There is a road map (peace plan) between us and them and we should begin there," he said.
Abbas said his election agenda is in line with the plan Arafat presented to the Palestinian parliament two months before his death.
Abbas responded the Hamas announcement earlier that it plans to boycott the elections, saying: "Hamas is an independent Palestinian movement and has its own opinion. If it wants to boycott then that is up to it. We will respect its decision."
