Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas stated he was hopeful of reaching a "framework" deal for a Palestinian state in talks with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert but acknowledged obstacles remained.
In an interview aired on the eve of Monday's meeting between the leaders in Jerusalem, Abbas noted a framework agreement should be presented at a U.S.-sponsored conference in November in a move that could pave the way for final-status negotiations on a peace deal.
"I am hopeful," Abbas told Italy's RAI television. "But I don't know what are the obstacles -- and we have many of the obstacles -- which will face us. We hope that we can overcome all kinds of obstacles."
Senior Palestinian officials said some progress had been made in recent meetings between the leaders to narrow the gaps over the nature of a future Palestinian state. "Today we hope the two leaders will take it to the next step and start the drafting stage," Abbas aide Saeb Erekat said, according to Reuters.
But Israeli officials said differences remained. According to them, the talks have started to touch on core issues, but that no new announcements were planned after Monday's session.
While Abbas is pushing for a detailed document that will include a detailed timetable for implementing an agreement, Olmert prefers a one-page document that lists five general principles that will serve as guidelines. Prior to Monday's meeting, Israeli political sources were quoted as saying by Haaretz that Olmert and Abbas would not sign an agreement of principles, but would focus on formulating an agreed-upon document.
Meanwhile, a senior Israeli government official said Israel was unlikely to free from prison 100 members of Abbas' Fatah faction ahead of the Islamic fasting month of Ramadan, which begins later this week. The release had been expected.
