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2007-10-25
The Authority denies receiving the official Israeli approval to grant new frequencies for the telecommunications sector
It was denied by Mohammed Mustafa, the Presidential Advisor for Economic Affairs, and General-Director of the Investment Fund,yesterday that the Palestinian Authority has received a formal approval from Israel to grant frequencies necessary for the Wattaniya Mobile Phone Company . Mr.Mustafa stated that the Presidents office has not received any information from the Israeli side on the subject concerning obtaining new frequencies for Wattaniya. On the contrary to what was issued yesterday, through "informed sources", that the Israeli side informed the Office of the President Mahmoud Abbas agreed to grant new frequencies before the end this month. Mustafa said "we have been working on this issue with the Israeli side for more than a year. Always is the Palestinian side, this requirement is always the Israeli foreign But so far Israel has not received anything official on this matter. "
He Mustafa hoped to obtain new frequencies at the earliest time "and if so would constitute a new departure for the communications sector is not, but for the entire Palestinian economy."
He Mustafa that the negotiations with the Israeli side concentrated primarily on the frequencies necessary for the operation of the company"s second cellular phone Wattaniya Mobile Phone Company "the fact that the new company associated with the operation of these frequencies, as well as the payment of license fees from the operator of the Palestinian Authority." It is noteworthy that the Wattaniya Company for Communications in Kuwait owned 51% of the country Communications Company "Qtel" won in September of the year 2006 the license"s second cellular phone in the Palestinian territories compared to $ 355 million, but the license transfer fees to the exchequer, the Palestinian Authority is required to obtain frequencies from Israel . And it has "Wattaniya" Kuwaiti 40% of the "Palestinian Wattaniya MOBILE PHONES" compared with 30% of the Palestinian Authority represented by the Palestinian Investment Fund, as it will raise the remainder (30%) for public subscription by the public. For his part, Kamal Hassouneh and National Economy Minister that Israel was informed of the "consent of oral learned from the media" to grant new frequencies, "but we have not received anything from Israel written in this regard." He added Hassouna told the "days" that he made yesterday, a telephone call to this effect with the "coordinated actions of the Israeli government" in the West Bank Mclb Youssef, an officer in the Israeli army, "and asked him to grant written consent frequencies, but he promised to reach letter within weeks, possibly before the middle of next month in November
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