Abbas and Olmert to discuss joint statement on future Palestinian state
Jerusalem (AsiaNews/Agencies) – A joint statement on the future Palestinian state in preparation of the November conference in the United States will be the main topic Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas will discuss next Wednesday. As a gesture of good will Israel announced it had started the release of 87 prisoners, all from Fatah. The leaders’ meeting should also be accompanied by talks between two working groups set to work out the joint statement. However, Abbas and Olmert, have a different take on what should be in the statement. For the Palestinians it should indicate the “final status” of the future Palestinian state; for Olmert it should be something less detailed.
Abbas said explicitly that the statement should be clear and precise. In Cairo yesterday the Palestinian president indicated what he thought it should say about the Palestinian state in Gaza and the West Bank, borders, the future of Jerusalem, Jewish settlements and the return of refugees.
“We have to go there (to the conference) with a clear and specific document, after which it could be possible to start detailed negotiations on what we call final status issues,” Abbas said. “I believe that going there with a general statement would not be beneficial.”
Israelis instead are downplaying expectations about Wednesday’s meeting. Israel military radio reported that Olmert wants a broad-brush statement on sensitive issues.
Olmert and Abbas have met on a regular basis since June following US efforts to organise the November conference.
Hence Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed announced that US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice should visit the region mid-October for consultation with the Palestinians, the Israelis, Egypt and perhaps other Arab countries.
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