Abbas, Olmert to meet again

Israeli and Palestinian leaders will meet as early as Friday in an effort to bridge gaps in the two sides' stances. The two will engage in talks over a document to be presented at a U.S.-run conference on Palestinian statehood, sources close to the talks said. Abbas, Olmert to meet again There have been few signs of concrete progress between Israeli and Palestinian negotiating teams over the contents of the joint document for the Annapolis, Maryland conference, slated for late November or early December. Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas should meet in Jerusalem on Friday, sources close to the talks said. However, Palestinian sources said a delay to as late as Thursday next week was also possible. Palestinian negotiator and senior Abbas aide Saeb Erekat told Reuters on Thursday that the meeting would take place soon. During their previous private meetings, Olmert and Abbas reached "understandings" and asked their negotiating teams to reflect them in the joint document, sources said. Difficulties may now lie in how far the teams can interpret where the two leaders found agreement in earlier discussions. The negotiating teams, led on the Israeli side by Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and on the Palestinian side by Ahmed Qurie, a former prime minister, met late on Wednesday. Erekat said the teams have yet to start drafting the document. "We are exchanging ideas on many issues in hope of being able to reach the joint document," he told Reuters. Olmert and Abbas have told their negotiating teams to draft a joint document that addresses so-called final status issues, including borders and the fate of Jerusalem and millions of Palestinian refugees. The joint document is meant to serve as a basis for the statehood talks that Erekat has said should be concluded by August, before the U.S. presidential race heats up. President George W. Bush, who leaves office in a little over a year, has said he is committed to promoting a stable, peaceful Palestinian state while he remains in power. But Olmert has sought to play down expectations for the conference to deflect opposition from right-wing ministers who have threatened to quit his coalition government if he enters serious talks over the future of Jerusalem and its holy sites. "It is better not to create unrealistic expectations in order not to have to deal with the lack of success," Olmert told British Jewish leaders on Tuesday during a visit to London. Olmert said Israelis and Palestinians will have to make "painful concessions" in a final peace deal but added: "We won't agree to implement any understandings with the Palestinians until the commitments of the 'road map' are carried out." Israel wants the Palestinians to crack down on militant groups before it carries out any major territorial withdrawals in the occupied West Bank.

Abbas, Olmert to meet again

There have been few signs of concrete progress between Israeli and Palestinian negotiating teams over the contents of the joint document for the Annapolis, Maryland conference, slated for late November or early December.

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas should meet in Jerusalem on Friday, sources close to the talks said. However, Palestinian sources said a delay to as late as Thursday next week was also possible.

Palestinian negotiator and senior Abbas aide Saeb Erekat told Reuters on Thursday that the meeting would take place soon.

During their previous private meetings, Olmert and Abbas reached "understandings" and asked their negotiating teams to reflect them in the joint document, sources said. Difficulties may now lie in how far the teams can interpret where the two leaders found agreement in earlier discussions.

The negotiating teams, led on the Israeli side by Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and on the Palestinian side by Ahmed Qurie, a former prime minister, met late on Wednesday.

Erekat said the teams have yet to start drafting the document. "We are exchanging ideas on many issues in hope of being able to reach the joint document," he told Reuters.

Olmert and Abbas have told their negotiating teams to draft a joint document that addresses so-called final status issues, including borders and the fate of Jerusalem and millions of Palestinian refugees.

The joint document is meant to serve as a basis for the statehood talks that Erekat has said should be concluded by August, before the U.S. presidential race heats up.

President George W. Bush, who leaves office in a little over a year, has said he is committed to promoting a stable, peaceful Palestinian state while he remains in power.

But Olmert has sought to play down expectations for the conference to deflect opposition from right-wing ministers who have threatened to quit his coalition government if he enters serious talks over the future of Jerusalem and its holy sites.

"It is better not to create unrealistic expectations in order not to have to deal with the lack of success," Olmert told British Jewish leaders on Tuesday during a visit to London.

Olmert said Israelis and Palestinians will have to make "painful concessions" in a final peace deal but added: "We won't agree to implement any understandings with the Palestinians until the commitments of the 'road map' are carried out."

Israel wants the Palestinians to crack down on militant groups before it carries out any major territorial withdrawals in the occupied West Bank.