Last update - 00:00 05/02/2007
Abbas aides to meet with Rice in U.S. to discuss Mideast summit
By The Associated Press
Envoys of Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas will meet with United States Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in Washington this week to prepare the agenda of a Middle East summit, an Abbas aide said Monday.
The Israeli-Palestinian-U.S. summit is meant as a step toward resuming talks on a final peace deal.
The envoys will tell Rice that the Palestinians oppose further interim arrangements, said Abbas aide Yasser Abed Rabbo, who is heading to Washington with chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat.
Abed Rabbo said any future peace deal would have to be approved in a referendum, to be held in the Palestinian territories and among exiled Palestinians.
He said the Palestinians would also insist on a detailed timeline for implementation and on international backing for the deal.