WORLD> Middle East
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WORLD> Middle East
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Olmert says Mideast peace deal closer than ever
(Agencies)
Updated: 2008-07-13 20:28 "We have never been as close to a possible (peace) agreement as today," Olmert told reporters. Repeated rounds of Israeli-Palestinian peace talks since a peace conference in Annapolis, Md., last year have produced little movement. But the atmosphere was friendly when Olmert and Abbas posed on the steps of the Elysee Palace with Sarkozy in the center, arms linked. Olmert's domestic troubles, meanwhile, have clouded peace efforts. Law enforcement officials announced the widening of the corruption investigation against olmert. The ongoing investigations threaten his political survival and will make it more difficult at least in the short term to make major steps toward peace. Palestinian negotiator Saeed Erekat said Sunday that those troubles were not affecting current discussions. He said Israeli and Palestinian officials would review the status of negotiations on the sidelines of the Paris summit, discussig Israel settlement activity, the Gaza border and Palestinian prisoner releases. Syria's President Bashar Assad said Sunday that talks with Israel could move toward direct contact but suggested that would not happen until there is a new US president in place. |
