Mideast peace talks

U.S. President George W. Bush and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert emerged from a meeting Monday expressing high hopes that Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations can be revived during this week's Mideast summit in Annapolis, Md.

-


"I'm looking forward to continuing our serious dialogue with you and the president of the Palestinian Authority to see whether or not peace is possible," Bush said after meeting with Olmert in the White House ahead of the U.S.-sponsored international gathering, which begins Monday night with a dinner.

"I'm optimistic."

-


Bush is scheduled to meet later in the day with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas before an all-day session Tuesday. The three-day conference is seen as the first significant U.S. attempt at rejuvenating the Mideast peace process since the collapse of negotiations at Camp David seven years ago.

-


Olmert praised U.S. efforts to secure attendance of more than 40 nations including Canada during the conference, saying the presence of international delegates, including representatives from Arab countries, was "very important to us." Foreign Affairs Minister Maxime Bernier is expected to spread the message that Canada is assessing possible contributions to aid security, governance and development in the region, officials said.

-


"This time, it's different because we are going to have a lot of participation in what I hope will launch a serious process negotiation between us and the Palestinians," Olmert said. "We and the Palestinians will sit together in Jerusalem and work out something that will be very good."

-


Bush will open the conference with a speech. He'll make clear that Mideast peace is a top priority for the rest of his time in office through January 2009, but he is not expected to advance any of his own ideas on how to achieve that, Bush national security adviser Stephen Hadley said Sunday.

-


Joint declaration expected 'today or tomorrow': Abbas aide

-


Monday's meetings follow unscheduled talks late Sunday between the two sides in a last-ditch effort to agree to a joint Israeli-Palestinian declaration at the conference after numerous sessions in the weeks leading up to Annapolis.

-


"We will reach a joint paper today or tomorrow," Yasser Abed Rabbo, a senior aide to Abbas, told the Associated Press on Monday. "There is a persistent American effort to have this statement."

-


Palestinian and Arab League officials have insisted the talks include movement toward the resolution of the key issues, including final borders, the disputed status of Jerusalem and the fate of Palestinian refugees who lost homes in Israel following its 1948 creation.

-


Israel has favoured a broader statement of commitment to two states living side by side in peace, with discussions on final status issues to come later.

-


Annapolis talks to prove 'fruitless': former Hamas PM

-


Despite pledges of participation from all Arab League nations, including Syria and Saudi Arabia, expectations for a breakthrough on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict remained low ahead of the talks, which do not include representatives from the Islamist group Hamas.

-


Hamas, which has repeatedly called for Israel's destruction, has faced international isolation since it wrested control of the Gaza Strip by force from fighters loyal to Abbas's rival Fatah movement in June.

-


On Monday, former Hamas prime minister Ismail Haniyeh said the talks would prove "fruitless" and Palestinians would not be bound by any potential agreements at the summit.

-


Last week, Hamas officials said they would try to thwart the Annapolis talks by increasing the frequency and power of the almost daily rocket attacks on Israel.

-


Syria, technically in a state of war with Israel since 1967, agreed Sunday to attend the conference with the hopes of including discussions on Israel returning the Golan Heights.

-


Following this summit, Britain's former prime minister, Tony Blair, will co-chair a separate conference with so-called donor nations to help provide political and financial support for the Palestinian Authority.

Brought to you by Mediascrape

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• mid
• east
• middle
• peace
• talk
• ehud
• olmert
• george
• bush
• abbas
• prime
• minister
• president
• summit
• annapolis

[katyu16]

Ironic isn't it? While trying to bring peace to Israel / Palestine he's planning the invasion of Iran. We're still in Saudi Arabia, invaded Iraq....God, we're in a mess of trouble.

Hillary, Giuliani, Huckabee, they're all the same. Not ONE of them will committ to bringing our troops home! All of them stated "Nuke Iran" will remain on the table.

Face it, we're NEVER coming home, NEVER. We're building 14 PERMANENT airbases in Iraq.

Stop this MADNESS.

Elect Ron Paul

[EnterHisRest1]

NOVEMBER 2007- ELIJAH WHO IS THE ISAIAH 59 INTERCESSOR AND WATCHMAN FOR THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL ALSO SAID "ENOUGH"- INSTEAD OF KEEPING AMERICA PRAYED TO BE BLESSED- IT WAS TIME TO CURSE THE 666- AND THE MARK OF BEAST- 9-11 HAPPENED BECAUSE BUSH WANTED TO DIVIDE ISRAEL-NOW HE WANTED HIS 6-6-6 NEW WORLD ORDER TO SEAL ISRAEL'S FATE- BUT GOD HAD ANOTHER PLAN- HE WOULD CURSE BUSH AND THE US DOLLAR

[BLUEPRINT3WON]

THE JOB OF THE PROTECTORATE OF THE COVENANT IS TO PROTECT TRUE CHRISTIANITY- WHEN BUSH MADE THIS PEACE AGREEMENT- IT WAS ALL OUT WAR- WHICH LED TO OUR EXPOSURE TO THE CORRUPTION WITHIN THE GOVERNMENT AND BUSINESS MOUNTAINS. IT WAS MY CALL TO LET THEM ALL FALL- THIS BEGAN THE FALL OF THE KING OF BABYLON- GEORGE W BUSH

[LaRoucheisright]

LaRouche on Olmert's Useful Contribution in Annapolis

Increase DecreaseNovember 29, 2007 (LPAC)--The Annapolis summit on the South-West Asia peace process "was a big success for us," commented Lyndon LaRouche upon being briefed about Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's interview with Israel's daily Ha'aretz today. It was "a big success for us, not because we caused it, but because we strongly supported it happening. It's not a home run. Don't look for decisive home runs, but, rather,

[sassystar007]

israel does not want peace.ONLY if they are deciding to attack Iran first.They mite give in to Palestine, 'cause they will need their full attentions on Iran. but the USA, will pick up the battle of Iran.This way, they r not the ones 2 attack first..

[takotheoktopus]

Electing Ron Paul isn't going to change anything. The first moment he attempts to go against the Military-Industrial Complex and the World Bank by pulling out troops along with all the private firms, plus putting an end to the Federal Reserve he will be bought or shot!