(AFP) President George W. Bush signed a six-month executive order authorizing the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) to maintain its offices in the United States, the White House said on Thursday. The State Department 2003 budget bill passed by Congress alludes to the PLO's 1993 commitment to recognize Israel's right to exist, accept UN Security Council resolutions 242 and 338, peacefully resolve its differences with Israel and renounce terrorism and all other acts of violence. Congress stipulated sanctions against the PLO if any of those commitments were not honored, including the downgrading of the status of the US offices of the PLO and the Palestinian Authority. Bush, in signing the order, noted that not all the conditions had been met, but found nonetheless it was "in the interests of national security" of the United States to suspend the sanctions for another 180-day period.
2003-08-11 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive