Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas arrived in Washington on Sunday saying a conference in nearby Annapolis later this week would launch negotiations that would finally realize his people's dream of a Palestinian state.
Tuesday's meeting in Maryland, where Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert will be joined by Arab ministers, aims at agreeing a resumption of talks on a final Palestinian peace with Israel. "We consider the Annapolis conference a launching pad for final status negotiations that will lead to the realization of the Palestinian people's dream of establishing a Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital," Abbas aide Nabil Abu Rdainah told Reuters after the Palestinian leader's arrival.
Olmert, who landed in Washington hours later, told reporters on his plane before leaving that he hoped Annapolis would launch serious negotiations on "all the core issues that will result in a solution of two states for two peoples". Olmert added on his plane before leaving for Washington that Israel would "view positively" Syria's participation.
Syria said on Friday the United States had agreed to put the issue on the agenda.
