Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert lowered expectations for significant breakthroughs in peacemaking on Sunday, saying he and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas would go no further than a non-binding declaration of intent before an international peace conference this fall, officials said.
At a meeting of his Kadima Party, Olmert downplayed recent reports that he and Abbas have reached an agreement on binding principles that would guide peace talks. "There are reports that we have reached an agreement on principles that just has to be fine-tuned," a participant in the meeting cited Olmert as saying. "But we are talking about a joint statement that I hope will be the headline of the international peace conference in Washington in November. But there is a difference between an agreement on principles and a declaration of intent."
According to the AP, Olmert's words came days ahead of a visit by US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, who will be in the region to monitor progress on preparations for the conference.
At their latest meeting last week, Olmert offered some gestures meant to bolster Abbas in his power struggle with Hamas, like proposing to free some 100 Palestinian prisoners during the current holy month of Ramadan. Israel's Cabinet was to discuss the proposed prisoner release at its regularly scheduled meeting on Sunday. But the vote was delayed until after the Jewish holiday season ends in early October, government officials said.
