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Last update - 11:45 17/09/2007
PA Chairman Abbas threatens to boycott November peace summit
By Avi Isacharoff, Aluf Benn and Barak Ravid, Haaretz Correspondents, and Agencies
Tags: leaders, boycott 

Palestinian authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas will not attend Washington's regional peace summit in November unless Israel agrees to a reach an agreement with the Palestinians there, Abbas' associates told Haaretz Sunday, adding the summit could "prove dangerous". With U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice expected to arrive in Jerusalem Monday, the Saudis also submitted some preconditions for their attendance.

The Palestinian sources were reacting to Olmert's statement that afternoon that Israel and the Palestinians will not present an Agreement of Principles on final status issues at the summit, but issue a joint declaration instead. "We are formulating a joint declaration to headline the regional meeting, should it take place," Olmert told ministers from his party, Kadima, in Jerusalem.

"If Olmert says there'll just be a declaration, it's not worth going to this meeting in Washington," said Nimr Hamad, an adviser to Abbas. In an unusual move, the chairman's office issued a press release reacting to Olmert's statement.
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In the statement, Abbas' office did not refer to the possibility that Abbas would not attend. The statement did read, however, that the Palestinian Authority was seeking a structural agreement, and that a declaration of intentions would not suffice.

Call for timetable

The statement called for a timetable and mechanisms responsible for the implementation of stages of the permanent agreement, including collateral for implementation. The statement also said that all issues of the permanent agreement - including jurisdiction on holy places, permanent borders and the question of Palestinian refugees - must be addressed in the agreement.

"We can live without the summit, but if does take place and fail by producing nothing more than a joint statement, then it could prove to be a danger for the whole region," one of Abbas' senior advisers told Haaretz. "We must not attend such a summit. We're not demanding the resolution of the entire problem by then, but we are demanding a significant breakthrough from the meeting."

In his daily briefing for reporters in Jeddah, Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Saud al-Faisal echoed the Palestinian demands. "If this conference will not discuss serious topics aimed to resolve the conflict, put Arab initiative as a key objective, set an agenda that details issues as required and oblige Israel to withdraw from the occupied territories, this conference will not have any objective and will turn into protracted negotiations."

Western diplomats who recently visited Saudi Arabia told Haaretz that in their conversations with Saudi officials, they received the impressions that Saudi Arabia will not attend the summit. The sources say the Saudis regard a declaration of intentions as insufficient justification for their attendance.

Commenting on the internal dispute within the Palestinian Authority between Fatah and its rival organization Hamas, al-Faisal said the Kingdom remains committed to the Mecca Agreement between the parties.

"The terms of the Mecca initiative are clear and agreed upon by the Palestinian parties," he said. "If there is a desire for reconciliation, they have to refer to the terms of Mecca Agreement and implement them. The Kingdom will not provide any alternative initiative to Mecca Agreement.

The Kingdom also hopes for a resolution to the crisis in Lebanon and is cautiously optimistic about developments, al-Faisal said.

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  1.   Olmert`s call 05:25  |  Pierre 17/09/07
  2.   Impasse due to extremists on both sides... whatelse is new? 05:35  |  Smadar 17/09/07
  3.   Days of Awe 05:42  |  Shmuel Goldstein 17/09/07
  4.   how much proof do moron leftists need to prove appeasement failed 05:44  |  Pavel 17/09/07
  5.   snatch Abbas from his cozy office and.. 05:53  |  vik 17/09/07
  6.   It is the final status.Jordan Palestinians State 06:13  |  e.m 17/09/07
  7.   Separate Arab political entity west of the Jordan is impossible: 06:16  |  Uzi 17/09/07
  8.   Now is the time to abolish the PA and end the occupation: 06:24  |  Uzi 17/09/07
  9.   Forget the Peace, forget the traitor, and forget the occupying re 06:28  |  Enough 17/09/07
  10.   Any future accomodation between the sides must include: 06:40  |  Dudu Tavor 17/09/07
  11.   Israel needs to make a reality check on its peace IQ 07:14  |  Ivar 17/09/07
  12.   israel is not serious about reaching peace... 07:17  |  bashar 17/09/07
  13.   Abbas behaving like a HYSTERICAL schoolgirl 07:27  |  Dr. Dave 17/09/07
  14.   Halal Pigs Fly ! 07:43  |  Akram Zekaria 17/09/07
  15.   Abbas got everything he wanted except Right of Return 07:45  |  Ken Jurist 17/09/07
  16.   Israel must give "peace for peace", and give "war for war". 08:01  |  GI Joe 17/09/07
  17.   more of the same 90 years on !! 08:18  |  victor hardman 17/09/07
  18.   The way to hell is paved with `good` intentions. 08:23  |  Maureen Ann 17/09/07
  19.   Abbas`s warning 08:28  |  Daniel 17/09/07
  20.   Summit without A Peak 08:34  |  Markus 17/09/07
  21.   ARROGANCE FROM ARABS. 08:37  |  Dagma 17/09/07
  22.   If America calls Olmert and Abbas will go 08:39  |  Zev 17/09/07
  23.   Now is the time to abolish the PA and end the occupation: 08:40  |  Uzi 17/09/07
  24.   6# em right Jordan is Palestine. Here some of the facts. 08:41  |  Akram Zekaria 17/09/07
  25.   Good, both sides are climbing down the tall trees 08:42  |  Judith, Haifa 17/09/07
  26.   West Bank Expansion Shows Israels True Intentions 08:42  |  Natallie Durson 17/09/07
  27.   broken record 08:44  |  pause 17/09/07
  28.   Abbas rejects peace 08:48  |  Slibovitz 17/09/07
  29.   With friends like Dr. Dave, USA does not need enemies 08:56  |  Ivar 17/09/07
  30.   Israel need not be serious about the sham `peace` with the Arabs: 08:56  |  Uzi 17/09/07
  31.   shame on you Abbas 09:01  |  Arafat`s Loyalists 17/09/07
  32.   first signs of intelligence 09:04  |  Michael 17/09/07
  33.   GI, Israel must give back what it has stolen for peace 09:06  |  Ivar 17/09/07
  34.   ABBAS= BABY WHO NEEDS HIS MILK 09:26  |  12 YEAR OLD 17/09/07
  35.   WHAT A GENIUS OLDMAN 09:30  |  indrajaya 17/09/07
  36.   WHAT A GENIUS OLDMAN 09:30  |  indrajaya 17/09/07
  37.   Smadar...Israel cant afford any more "painful concessions" 09:36  |  Stayin Alive 17/09/07
  38.   Abbas has a point 09:45  |  Outsider 17/09/07
  39.   I told this before... 10:13  |  Dutch Dirk 17/09/07
  40.   Abbas 10:20  |  Mazen 17/09/07
  41.   Wise decision from Abbas, no more photo ops 10:29  |  Petteri 17/09/07
  42.   GOOD FOR ABBAS! Obviously ISRAEL Is THE Obstacle To Peace. 10:44  |  Proud Pal Defender 17/09/07
  43.   Abbas is absolutely right on this at least 10:50  |  Michael 17/09/07
  44.   Israel`s tedious game 10:55  |  Andrew Watson 17/09/07
  45.   #16 Israel has made it clear what it feels it must retain, so 10:55  |  Pavel 17/09/07
  46.   regional conference 11:00  |  Israel Letzter 17/09/07
  47.   Abbas threatens 11:04  |  Israel Letzter 17/09/07
  48.   Jewish towns in the territories for Arab towns in Israel 11:16  |  Anton 17/09/07
  49.   # 45 Israel`s decision ? 11:18  |  Andrew Watson 17/09/07
  50.   Abbas Finally Gets it... JIHAD IS THE WAY! 11:19  |  Fcuk Occupation 17/09/07
  51.   Any Deal Must Include These Clauses.... 11:35  |  Hani 17/09/07
  52.   Summit Crap 11:35  |  Brod 17/09/07
  53.   It would be nice to hear once, just once from any Arab leader, be 12:03  |  Nadav 17/09/07
  54.   Israeli settler in Canada ,Smadar, has an agenda 12:12  |  Absolute Sweden 17/09/07
  55.   In addition to Hani`s clauses I would add that a just & fair 12:21  |  lakshmi 17/09/07
  56.   Essentially correct Smadar 12:24  |  Mark Lincoln 17/09/07
  57.   To #44..Andrew Watson modern day Neo-Nazi 12:41  |  SLAVO 17/09/07
  58.   UNDER PRESSURE, will arrogance prevail again? 13:07  |  VIPER 17/09/07
  59.   LAKSHMI AND "DEALS" 13:18  |  Brant 17/09/07
  60.   the stooge awakes... 13:51  |  ravi 17/09/07
  61.   66ravi,well said,the day of reckoning is coming for those slimy 14:05  |  lakshmi 17/09/07
  62.   Shiites, Sunnis and Persians are destabalizing the ME 14:15  |  Avi 17/09/07
  63.   Fcuk Occupation? Don`t Start Wars 14:16  |  GZLives 17/09/07
  64.   Arabic must be a very limited language 14:16  |  Nechama 17/09/07
  65.   Israel should not negotiate 14:17  |  Nechama 17/09/07
  66.   Lincoln lies by omission 14:22  |  GZLives 17/09/07
  67.   Abbas 14:29  |  Gene 17/09/07
  68.   Israel uses the Orthodox divorce routine 14:29  |  Tim 17/09/07
  69.   DOES ABBAS WANT ANOTHER `ROAD MAP`? 14:37  |  Ian 17/09/07
  70.   Anyone saying JIHAD is the way is clearly 14:43  |  Avi