Palestinian PM predicts state 'founding'

JERUSALEM, April 21 (UPI) -- The Palestinian prime minister says a Palestinian state will be founded by 2011 with or without Israeli negotiations, relying on "international consensus."

Salam Fayyad rejects the Israeli position that a Palestinian state can be founded only through negotiations, Ynetnews reported Wednesday.

"We demand the implication of international law to define ourselves," Fayyad said. "We hear the Israelis, but they are not the only players in this arena."

The state declaration plan has passed from the idea stage to the probability stage and is now on its way to becoming a reality, Fayyad said.

He cited a number of significant achievements of the Palestinian government, among them security in the West Bank territories under its command, Ynetnews said.

"Who would have believed in 2007 that we would succeed in reaching all of the security achievements we have made in the past two years," Fayyad said. "The success has increased our self-assurance that we are capable of achieving additional goals."

He said he did not rule out negotiations with Israel but reiterated his unilateral option.

"Our aspiration is for negotiations to accelerate the establishment of a Palestinian state, but if this doesn't work out we will aspire for our achievements and positive actions to impose this," Fayyad said. "We see an international consensus on our position and our efforts."