US Annapolis Conf: Everyone's Invited but the PLO

[As you will see from the list below, it seems the US has invited

practically everyone in the world to this fandango -- from Poland
to Sweden to Slovenia [Slovenia???] to Yemen to the World Bank and the
IMF... except the PLO -- which is the only body that has the authority
and international standing to negotiate on behalf of the Palestinian
people! In addition, the elected government of Hamas is also not
invited, of course.]

sent by Francis Boyle - Nov 23, 2007

My Dear Palestinian Friends:

As you can see from the US Government's list of Invitees [below] to the
Annapolis Conference, it has only invited the Palestinian Authority, not
the PLO. But only the PLO has the authority under international law to
negotiate on behalf of the Palestinian People and the State of
Palestine. That is why the Chairman of the PLO Yasser Arafat signed the
Oslo Agreement in the name of the PLO. The Palestinian Authority has no
authorization under international law to negotiate on behalf of the
Palestinian People, let alone the State of Palestine, whose Provisional
Government is the PLO Executive Committee. Indeed, an entire series of
UN General Assembly Resolutions have made it clear that only the PLO is
the sole and legitimate representative of the Palestinian People. Hence
this delegation of the Palestinian Authority to the Annapolis
Conference has no legal authority under international law to conclude
anything on behalf of the Palestinian People, let alone the State of
Palestine

I would appreciate it if you would be so kind as to bring this matter
to the attention of the Palestinian People around the world.

Thank you.

Francis A. Boyle
Professor of International Law
Legal Advisor to the Palestinian Delegation
to the Middle East Peace Negotiations
and His Excellency Dr. Haidar Abdul Shaffi (1991-1993)

***

US State Department - Nov 20, 2007
statelists@LISTS.STATE.GOV

Announcement of Annapolis Conference

Press Statement
Sean McCormack
Washington, DC

November 20, 2007

Announcement of Annapolis Conference

On November 27, the United States will host Israeli Prime Minister
Olmert, Palestinian Authority President Abbas, along with the
Members of the Quartet, the Members of the Arab League Follow-on
Committee, the G-8, the permanent members of the UN Security Council,
and other key international actors for a conference at the U.S. Naval
Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. Secretary Rice will host a dinner
the preceding evening here in Washington, where President
Bush will deliver remarks. President Bush and the Israeli and
Palestinian leaders will deliver speeches to open the formal conference
in Annapolis.

The Annapolis Conference will signal broad international support for
the Israeli and Palestinian leaders' courageous efforts, and will be a
launching point for negotiations leading to the establishment of a
Palestinian state and the realization of Israeli-Palestinian peace.

Those invited to attend the conference are:

United States
Israel
Palestinian Authority
Algeria
Arab League Secretary General
Bahrain
Brazil
Canada
China
Egypt
EU Commission
EU High Rep
EU Pres Portugal
France
Germany
Greece
India
Indonesia
Iraq
Italy
Japan
Jordan
Lebanon
Malaysia
Mauritania
Morocco
Norway
Oman
Pakistan
Poland
Qatar
Russia
Saudi Arabia
Senegal
Slovenia
South Africa
Spain
Sudan
Sweden
Syria
Quartet Special Envoy Tony Blair
Tunisia
Turkey
United Arab Emirates
United Kingdom
UNSYG [??]
Yemen

Observers:

IMF
World Bank

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