GAZA, April 15 (UPI) -- The Palestinian Authority Friday welcomed the appointment of outgoing World Bank Chairman James Wolfensohn to ease the Gaza transition.
U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice Thursday announced Wolfensohn's appointment as a Quartet Committee envoy to the Middle East. The Quartet includes the United States, European Union, United Nations and Russia.
A PA spokesman said in an official statement, President Mahmoud Abbas and the PA "are ready to cooperate and coordinate with Wolfensohn to make his mission succeed."
Wolfensohn will be coordinating political and economic issues between Israel and the Palestinians during and after the Israeli army pullout and the settlers' evacuation of Gaza and the northern West Bank.
"We want Wolfensohn not only to coordinate the pullout from Gaza, but also to prepare the ground for implementing the roadmap peace plan, to achieve security and peace between us and the Israelis," the statement said.
The statement added they hope Wolfensohn would help the Palestinians "to establish their future independent state."
