Saturday, January 15 2005 19:26 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Ramallah (West Bank): Newly installed Palestinian leader Mahmud Abbas vowed to seek a solution to the Middle East conflict through negotiations today (Jan 15, 2005) as he criticised attacks by militant groups which have led to a severing of contacts with Israel.

In a speech marking his formal inauguration, six days after his overwhelming victory in the election to replace the late Yasser Arafat, Abbas said that he wanted a mutual ceasefire and that Israelis must learn to share land with the Palestinians if the "vicious circle" of violence was to end.

"We are seeking a mutual ceasefire to end this vicious circle," Abbas told MPs in a speech in which he reiterated his condemnation of attacks by armed Palestinians.

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, who completely boycotted his arch-enemy Arafat, has decided to freeze official contacts with the Palestinian Authority in the wake of an attack on a Gaza border crossing in which six Israelis were killed.

"In the last few days, a number of incidents have taken place. We condemn these actions, whether by the Israeli occupation forces or the reactions of some Palestinian factions," Abbas said.

"This does not help bring about the calm needed to enable a credible, serious peace process."

Abbas has consistently criticised the use of weapons during the four-year Palestinian uprising but Israel has said that he must translate his words into action and dismantle what it calls "the terrorist infrastructure."

Abbas stressed his commitment to the roadmap peace plan which calls for an end to attacks by Palestinian militants.

The blueprint calls for the creation of an independent Palestinian state alongside a secure Israel but has made next to no progress since its launch amid the continuing violence on both sides.

"We will remain committed to the PLO's strategic choice: the choice of achieving just peace and our national goals through negotiations," he told Parliament.

"The path to these goals is what we and the world have agreed upon in the roadmap.

"We have repeatedly stated that we are committed to our responsibilities in the roadmap. We will implement our obligations as a matter of Palestinian national interest. In return, Israel has to implement its obligations."

The new leader, who is seen as a moderate, also urged the Israeli people to acknowledge the need to share land.

"From this forum, I say to the Israeli leadership and to the Israeli people: we are two people, destined to live side by side and to share this land between us," Abbas said.

"The only alternative to peace is the continuation of the occupation and the conflict. Let us start implementing the roadmap and -- in parallel -- let us start discussing the permanent status issues so that we can end, once and for all, the historic conflict between us." His speech was made against a backdrop of a fresh bout of violence in Gaza where four Palestinians were killed during an Israeli Army incursion into the Zeitun neighbourhood of Gaza City.