clipped from: uk.reuters.com JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas met on Monday to try to accelerate peace talks that have shown little sign of progress ahead of a visit by U.S. President George W. Bush.
Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said Monday's talks would focus on negotiations on core issues, launched at a U.S.-hosted international conference in Annapolis, Maryland in November, and on an Israeli obligation to halt Jewish settlement expansion.
Rice said she still hoped to seal a statehood deal by the end of this year. Washington wants to see more progress before Bush visits Israel later this month to take part in ceremonies marking its 60th anniversary.
But Israeli-Palestinian talks have been clouded by violence, primarily along the border of the Gaza Strip, and by Israel's expansion of settlements in the West Bank, which Palestinians fear will deny them a viable state.