Carter welcomes Palestinian decision to join UN treaties

Former US President Jimmy Carter on Friday welcomed the Palestinians’ decision to join international treaties.

The Elders, the group to which Carter affiliates, said in a statement: “The decision by the Palestinians to exercise their right to join international organisations should not be seen as a blow to the peace talks. I hope that, on the contrary, it will help to redress the power imbalance between Israelis and Palestinians, as we approach the April 29 deadline set by Secretary Kerry.”

US Secretary of State John Kerry said the talks are “not open-ended. There are limits to the amount of time and effort that the United States can spend if the parties themselves are unwilling to take constructive steps.”