Leaders vow to help build Palestinian foundation

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LONDON -- More than two dozen world leaders yesterday pledged to support Palestinian leaders in creating and reforming the institutions that will serve as the foundation of a future state.

The Palestinians, in turn, promised to take specific administrative, security and economic measures that would make those institutions effective and accountable.

"We are going forward to put our house in order and to address our commitments," Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas told the participants at a conference in London hosted by British Prime Minister Tony Blair.

The United States, the European Union and the World Bank agreed to lead an international effort to coordinate what the participants described as "institutional renewal" in the Palestinian territories.

The leaders and senior officials -- including Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice -- praised Mr. Abbas' leadership and welcomed his commitment to ending all Palestinian violence against Israelis.

"Further work to build a more effective security apparatus, better governance and the strengthening of the Palestinian economy with adequate and effectively targeted international support should improve the capacity of the Palestinian Authority to deliver real benefits to the Palestinian people," according to a joint statement issued by the participants.

In the document, the Palestinian Authority pledged to "strengthen" democratic institutions, such as elections, the judiciary, its constitution and civil society.

It committed itself to reforming its security and command structures, and promised to "revive lines of communication with the Israeli security establishment."

In the economic and social spheres, the Palestinian delegation promised to "combat corruption," implement pension reforms and "stimulate private sector growth."

"The Palestinian Authority's sincere commitment to a viable plan to meet the benchmarks of good government should open the way to donor governments providing renewed support in Palestine," according to the statement.