Final status talks set to start
2008-01-14 08:45
Ramallah - Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said the most serious peace talks in seven years would begin on Monday and must tackle all of the most sensitive issues including Jerusalem without delay.
Abbas said his chief negotiator, former Prime Minister Ahmed
Qurei, would meet with his Israeli counterpart, Foreign Minister
Tzipi Livni, as part of US President George W Bush's push for
a statehood agreement before leaving office.
"All the issues will be discussed ... We told Bush that we
will not accept delaying any of the final-status issues," Abbas
said in a speech, referring to statehood borders, the future of
Jerusalem and Palestinian refugees, and Jewish settlements.
The meeting, which will be held in Jerusalem, comes four
days after Bush's visit to Israel and the occupied West Bank in
which he set the goal of reaching a peace treaty before he
leaves office in January 2009.
On the eve of Bush's visit, Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister
Ehud Olmert authorised talks on all of the final-status issues.
Coalition partners could quit
But it is unclear whether Olmert is ready to push ahead with
substantive talks on the sensitive issue of Jerusalem since
doing so could prompt coalition partners, including the
right-wing Yisrael Beiteinu party, to quit the government.
Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesperson Aryeh Mekel confirmed the
talks would be held in Jerusalem but declined to say what issues
would be discussed.
Israel and the Palestinians are at odds over the form of
agreement they want to reach.
Israeli officials have said they are seeking a deal that
would outline a "framework" for a future Palestinian state with
implementation delayed until the Palestinians can ensure
Israel's security.
Abbas wants a final peace treaty to enable him to declare a
Palestinian state by the end of 2008.