News & Politics - Olmert ready to talk to Abbas about statehood issues

Lexis · 04-13-2007, 02:21 PM

Quote:

sraeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert is ready to begin discussing with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Sunday the legal, economic and governmental structures of a future Palestinian state, Olmert's office said.

But two officials in Olmert's office said the three main final status issues -- defining the borders of a Palestinian state, the status of Jerusalem and the fate of Palestinian refugees -- would not be on the agenda when the prime minister meets Abbas in Jerusalem.

The comments were the first by Olmert's office spelling out what so-called "political horizon" talks with Abbas would entail.

Senior Abbas aide Saeb Erekat said "political horizon" issues would be "on the top of the agenda" at the meeting but declined to offer details.

Sunday's talks will be the first between Olmert and Abbas since they agreed, during a visit to the region by U.S. Secretary of State
Condoleezza Rice last month, to meet once every two weeks.

Olmert has said Abbas's unity government with Hamas Islamists, and the continued captivity of Israeli Corporal Gilad Shalit, meant that no real progress towards Palestinian statehood could be made in their face-to-face meetings.

Olmert spokeswoman Miri Eisin said Olmert and Abbas will "start talking about what a Palestinian state would look like."

Eisin said this would include "the type of legal system, economic system (and) government system that it would have."

She said Olmert would not discuss with Abbas "the three hardest, central issues" -- borders, Jerusalem and refugees.

Washington has been pushing
Israel to help create a "political horizon" to give Palestinians hope of achieving statehood.

Olmert ready to talk to Abbas about statehood issues - Yahoo! News

A sign of progress perhaps? It would be wonderful if the soldier could go home to his family and some kind of forward motion could get going. This conflict has dragged on so long and provides such great propaganda material for terrorist groups.

quaist · 04-19-2007, 09:11 AM

Well, I hope it's a sign of progress!

But I'm afraid that the next conflicts will occur when it comes to the borders of a renewed Palestinian state.

Unfortunately, Jerusalem is a holy place for both, muslims and jews, so I guess that will be the next thing for the Palestinians to fight for...


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