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Prime Minister Ehud Olmert shaking hands with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak following a joint press conference in the Sharm el-Sheik earlier this week. (AP)
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Syria reportedly to skip summit, as Haniyeh calls meet 'stillborn'
By Haaretz Service and News Agencies
Tags: Annapolis, Golan Heights 

Hamas' Gaza leader Ismail Haniyeh said Thursday that next week's U.S.-sponsored Middle East peace conference is stillborn and will achieve nothing for the Palestinians, as the London-based Arabic-language newspaper Al-Hayat reported that Syria has already decided not to attend the Annapolis, Maryland summit.

"We realize that this conference was stillborn and is not going to achieve for the Palestinian people any of its goals or any of the political and legal rights due to them," Haniyeh said outside the Palestinian parliament building in Gaza City.

Haniyeh said Abbas did not have the mandate to make compromises in talks with Israel, especially over the demand of Palestinian refugees to return with their families to homes in Israel they lost during the 1948 War of Independence.
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"No one is authorized to compromise or to give up any of these rights, especially the right of return," Haniyeh said.

Haniyeh also called on Abbas not to cave in to a recent Israeli demand that the Palestinians recognize Israel as the homeland of the Jewish people. "We do not recognize that this state is Jewish," Haniyeh said.

"Syria has decided not to attend the Annapolis conference next week, because the issue of the Golan Heights is not mentioned on the agenda of the meeting," Army Radio quoted the Arabic-language publication as saying.

According to Al-Hayat, Syria is waiting for the outcome of a meeting of Arab foreign ministers, to be held in Cairo on Thursday, before officially announcing its intention not to attend next week's summit.

Syria has declared in the past it would only take part in the peace conference if the Golan Heights, which Israel captured from it in the 1967 Six-Day War, is on the agenda.

Syria received an official invitation to the summit on Wednesday. Charge d'Affaires Michael Corbin, the highest ranking U.S. diplomat stationed in Damascus, delivered the invitation letter to the foreign ministry's chief of protocol, the diplomats in the Syrian capital told reporters.

"The Syrians are getting what they want even if the Golan is not explicitly mentioned. The letter talks about United Nations resolutions and the Arab peace initiative, which Syria supports" one of the diplomats said.

"There will even be a session in the conference on comprehensive Middle East peace. Syria will be seen as deliberately trying to spoil Annapolis if it does not show up," the diplomat said.

The Arab peace initiative calls for Israeli withdrawal from all Arab land, including the Golan Heights. Peace talks between Syria and Israel, centered on normal ties in return for the Golan, collapsed in 2000.

Syria is under pressure from Russia and pro-U.S. Arab governments to attend the conference. Even Israel said it was in favor of Syria taking part and Jordan's King Abdullah paid a rare visit to Damascus this week to convince Syrian President Bashar Assad to send a delegation.

"Annapolis will not achieve its goals without Syria," Syrian journalist Ziad Haidar wrote in al-Watan, Syria's only privately owned daily. "Syria is being asked to throw its weight around. The attempts to isolate it have backfired."

The United States has invited about 40 countries, including Saudi Arabia and Syria which have no relations with Israel, to the meeting it hopes will launch negotiations to end the six-decade Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Mubarak meets Abbas and Abdullah ahead of summit
Egypt, Jordan and the Palestinians sought Thursday to persuade skeptical Arab nations to attend a U.S.-sponsored Mideast peace conference, insisting it could open the door to a Palestinian state in the next year.

Egypt's President Hosni Mubarak held a mini-summit with the leaders of Jordan and the Palestinians in this Red Sea resort, bringing together the strongest Arab supporters of next week's conference, to be held in Annapolis, Maryland.

Their meeting came ahead of a key gathering of Arab foreign ministers in Cairo Thursday night and Friday that will determine who will attend Annapolis and at what level.

Egypt insisted Thursday that Annapolis could mark a major breakthrough. Mubarak's spokesman Suleiman Awad said the Bush administration was achieving progress that will pave the way to the establishment of the two states and an independent Palestinian state within the next year and before the end of Bush's term.

"This is a commitment for a timetable that we hear for the first time," he told reporters as Mubarak, Jordan's King Abdullah II and Abbas met.

Awad said Annapolis would launch serious peace negotations according to a timetable and with an agreed upon follow-up mechanism - all top demands of Saudi Arabia.

The United States is pushing for Saudi Arabia, which unlike Jordan and Egypt has no peace agreement or diplomatic relations with Israel, to attend - and to send its foreign minister. President George W. Bush spoke Tuesday by telephone with Saudi King Abdullah.

"We Arabs have several experiences of dealing with Israel that raise question marks about its seriousness, but let's wait and see," Awad said. "We have to believe them until proven otherwise."

Saudi crown prince does not rule out Riyadh's participation
Saudi Arabia has not ruled out the possibility of taking part in a Middle East peace conference with Israel next week, according to comments by Crown Prince Sultan carried by state television on Thursday.

"[Whether] the kingdom takes part will depend on a consideration of ongoing circumstances," al-Ikhbariya television quoted the crown prince as saying during a visit to Moscow.

It would be a diplomatic coup for the United States and Israel if Saudi Arabia was represented at the summit in Annapolis, Maryland, on Nov. 27 by its royal foreign minister, Prince Saud al-Faisal.

Saudi Arabia, the birthplace of Islam and the world's biggest oil exporter, has no diplomatic relations with Israel and even turning up could be seen as a major concession and strengthen anti-Western groups backed by Iran.

Saudi officials have said the kingdom will attend if there is an agenda that deals clearly with core issues involved in setting up a Palestinian state alongside Israel.

Arab and Western diplomats say that after a week of intense diplomacy and brinkmanship Riyadh may decide at the last minute to send its foreign minister, but is more likely to send low-level representatives.

They say any change in the Saudi position could emerge after Arab foreign ministers meet in Cairo on Friday.

U.S. President George W. Bush telephoned King Abdullah to formally invite him on Tuesday and Middle East peace envoy Tony Blair visited Riyadh on Wednesday to discuss the summit with the king and his foreign minister.

The United Arab Emirates' Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed al-Nahayan has also received an invitation from the United States to attend the Annapolis conference and Gulf sources said the UAE position should also emerge from the Arab meeting in Cairo.

"The media thinks the Arabs are looking for an excuse not to go, but they are in fact looking for an excuse to attend. They just need encouragement," said one Gulf source.

"They need to find out who will say what and this should happen in Cairo. They will go, but the question is under which arrangement?"

The United States has invited about 40 countries to the meeting which it hopes will launch negotiations to end the six-decade Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

It was unclear how far the conference would go in tackling the core issues - borders, security, settlements, the status of Jerusalem and the fate of Palestinian refugees - that have defeated previous efforts to end the conflict.

China confirms participation in summit
Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi will attend a Middle East peace conference in the United States next week, a government spokesman said Thursday.

"We're willing to take part in all international efforts that will be conducive to the proper settlement of this issue," said Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao.

Washington has organized the 47-nation conference to discuss the conflict over land, nationhood and rights that underlies Israel's conflicts with its Arab neighbors.

China's decision to take part reflects its more active role recently in world politics and peacemaking and growing commercial and diplomatic ties with the Middle East.

"I think the international conference ... has attracted the attention of the international community, including Arab countries, and we all have high expectations and hope substantial results can be achieved," Liu said at a regular ministry briefing.

China has sent peacekeepers on UN missions in Lebanon and Darfur and has used behind-the-scenes diplomacy in dealing with unrest in Myanmar and Sudan.

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      1.   Rice yesterday opened the Annapolic agenda to Syrian concerns 09:28  |  Ivar 22/11/07
      2.   I can only assume that trying to control Lebanon through the 09:42  |  Avihu 22/11/07
      3.   Do the Hokey-Cokey with Haaretz 09:47  |  Clickfool 22/11/07
      4.   syria and annapolis 09:53  |  adam 22/11/07
      5.   Syrian FM has just returned from Iran 10:19  |  Joseph E . 22/11/07
      6.   GOOD EXAMPLE FOR EVERYONE:DECLINE INVITATION,MISSION ACCOMPLISHED 10:47  |  VOICE of MOSHIACH))) 22/11/07
      7.   It is all so simple 10:50  |  Natallie Durson 22/11/07
      8.   They Just Opposed The Word "Peace" 10:58  |  Yosemite 22/11/07
      9.   A PRETTY GOOD DECISION 10:59  |  indrajaya 22/11/07
      10.   Ever get the feeling they`re fooling? 11:24  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 22/11/07
      11.   Even Israel said it was in favor of Syria taking part 11:52  |  Singer 22/11/07
      12.   What the Syrians want 11:55  |  Marco P 22/11/07
      13.   #10, Margie, some reading for you 12:02  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 22/11/07
      14.   SYRIA hosts Hamas rejection front and arms Hesbala. 12:26  |  PETER S .M. 22/11/07
      15.   Natallie Durson 12:40  |  Phillies Wright 22/11/07
      16.   Clickfool-It`s Hokey Pokey 12:52  |  Jane 22/11/07
      17.   Why on earth would Syria join the circus at annapolis? And the 12:58  |  lakshmi 22/11/07
      18.   Would not mention otherwise... 13:07  |  Uri 22/11/07
      19.   Phyllis Wright # 15 13:10  |  Uri 22/11/07
      20.   Not Syria but IRAN will decide 13:11  |  Jonathan S 22/11/07
      21.   Let`s Bash Assad 13:14  |  DURSON WANNABE 22/11/07
      22.   For Jane, a pedant # 16 13:35  |  Clickfool 22/11/07
      23.   to phillies wright 13:37  |  dr eric 22/11/07
      24.   THE GOLAN IS ISRAEL`s - peace for peace 13:45  |  Dr Eric 22/11/07
      25.   Better have Annapolis deal with Syria, not Palestinians 14:02  |  Tosefta 22/11/07
      26.   GOOD RIDANCE! BASHIR ASSAD is AFRAID... 14:11  |  Max the Horoscope 22/11/07
      27.   # 7 Natallie Durson: Do you plan to attend Anapolis Conference? 14:16  |  Max the Horoscope 22/11/07
      28.   What else did Iran dictate Syria to do? 14:17  |  Fortuna Benmayor 22/11/07
      29.   Syria should participate 14:31  |  christoph 22/11/07
      30.   Hokey Cokey Huh 14:38  |  Jane 22/11/07
      31.   ASSAD 14:40  |  NEIL 22/11/07
      32.   GOOD : THERE ARE ENOUGH IDIOTS ATTENDING 14:59  |  S.0,BRIETY 22/11/07
      33.   Tosefta why not convince the Syrians? 15:00  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 22/11/07
      34.   # 25 Tosefta....all you say may be true, 15:02  |  Lynn 22/11/07
      35.   Ridiculous chatter (Margie In TA #33) 15:24  |  Tosefta 22/11/07
      36.   Behold Indrajaya... 15:29  |  No Ordinary Prophet 22/11/07
      37.   Some problems will go away (lynn #34) 15:52  |  Tosefta 22/11/07
      38.   Assad, where is the plutonium? 16:15  |  Jonathan S 22/11/07
      39.   Now, in the Center Ring 16:16  |  Mark Lincoln 22/11/07
      40.   SYRIANS DON`T GIVE A DAMN ABOUT PALESTINIANS 16:21  |  judith 22/11/07
      41.   Today`s "Arab News" Cartoon 16:27  |  Mark Lincoln 22/11/07
      42.   Tosefta stop the clumsy personal comments 16:36  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 22/11/07
      43.   #40 judith 17:03  |  tbora 22/11/07
      44.   WISE DECISION: SUMMIT IS ABOUT PHOTO OPPORTUNITIES AND CHEAP TALK 17:07  |  TrippleJump 22/11/07
      45.   LET`S WAIT AND SEE WHAT SUMMIT WILL BRING PALESTINIANS ! 17:09  |  Arthur 22/11/07
      46.   Summit DOES NOT CONCERN Syria, why should it attend??? 17:10  |  Eric 22/11/07
      47.   Sorry for being so clumsy (Margie in TA #42) 17:19  |  Tosefta 22/11/07
      48.   That Regional Power 17:53  |  Mark Lincoln 22/11/07
      49.   The road map to nowhere 17:53  |  Baz Mann 22/11/07
      50.   Jane - anyone can see 17:55  |  Mark Lincoln 22/11/07
      51.   #43 Eric - Paris 18:03  |  * BEN JABO 22/11/07
      52.   Tosefta at least you`re trying 18:05  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 22/11/07
      53.   Johnathan S - where is your brain? 18:05  |  Mark Lincoln 22/11/07
      54.   HAARETZ, PUBLISH MY TALKBACK! 18:06  |  THE VOICE)))) 22/11/07
      55.   Naughty Tosefta! 18:09  |  Mark Lincoln 22/11/07
      56.   The real reason for the meeting 18:15  |  Mark Lincoln 22/11/07
      57.   Clickfool - a Pendant 18:31  |  James 22/11/07
      58.   Actually... 18:33  |  Yosemite 22/11/07
      59.   Syrian peace offers 18:58  |  Henk W 22/11/07
      60.   Summit 18:59  |  Abu Yusuf 22/11/07
      61.   Isolating Shi`ites 19:12  |  Yosemite 22/11/07
      62.   Meeting, Waste Of Time and Nothing To Do with Peace 19:18  |  Mark Hamil 22/11/07
      63.   Haaretz quote " They [arabs] just need encouragement " 19:20  |  Joseph E . 22/11/07
      64.   Israel Tell The Wolrld To Go "F" Itself 19:21  |  Mark Hamil 22/11/07
      65.   why go! 19:23  |  Allen 22/11/07
      66.   hanging around our necks, I`d say an albatros, not a pendant 19:35  |  chatterer 22/11/07
      67.   #6 Voice of Satan 19:55  |  WHO 22/11/07
      68.   Annapolis and China 20:07  |  utagawa 22/11/07
      69.   The Syrian regime is Shiite - Alawite 20:08  |  Nasib 22/11/07
      70.   Am I the only one seeing significance in China`s ambitions? 20:14  |  Mark B. 22/11/07
      71.   Wana bet????? 21:02  |  Mexi 22/11/07
      72.   For The Voice # 54 21:07  |  Clickfool 22/11/07
      73.   What`s all the fuss about?? 21:12  |  Nemesis 22/11/07
      74.   Anwar Saadat Set A Precedent In Making Peace With Israel 21:26  |  G. Stark 22/11/07
      75.   Mark Lincoln 21:28  |  YonyL 22/11/07
      76.   THERE IS A BETTER.... 21:29  |  Mexi 22/11/07
      77.   Talk to the Shallow (Mark Lincoln #55) 21:43  |  Tosefta 22/11/07
      78.   Saddat whas soooooo 21:45  |  Mexi 22/11/07
      79.   Very trying 21:54  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 22/11/07
      80.   If there were peace between Syria & Israel 22:00  |  Machne Yehudah 22/11/07
      81.   so called peacemaker,s peaceforum 22:28  |  Labhras 22/11/07
      82.   Syria reportedly to skip summit. as Haniyeh calls meet `stillborn 22:41  |  Martin List,M.D. 22/11/07
      83.   # 6 Voice of Moshiach 22:43  |  Steve the Pals. 22/11/07
      84.   #65CLICKFOOL,DON`T ACT FOOLISH:HAARETZ AFRAID OF MY POSTS,CUTTING 22:44  |  VOICE)))))))) 22/11/07
      85.   outcome 22:49  |  Allen 22/11/07
      86.   to #63 Mark B 22:52  |  Allen 22/11/07
      87.   pro-Syrians out in force: Tosefta & Mark L 23:21  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 22/11/07
      88.   Jonathan S and Mark Lincoln on plutonium 23:22  |  christoph 22/11/07
      89.   the best thing writen by L A B H R A S 23:48  |  Labhras`s admirer 22/11/07
      90.   for Lakshmi 00:54  |  Martin List,M.D. 23/11/07
      91.   Mark Lincoln, you are just babbling 01:08  |  Jonathan S 23/11/07
      92.   83 martin List,M.D.,do go back to medicine,hope you are a better 02:19  |  lakshmi 23/11/07
      93.   Wisdom for the Birds and Cipora J. Kohn #80 02:29  |  Mars H. Mellow 23/11/07
      94.   Wisdom for Slowman the lazy bum 04:04  |  Skip Haar 23/11/07
      95.   Wisdom for the Birds and Cipora J. Kohn #80 04:39  |  Mars H. Mellow 23/11/07
      96.   Bush is bucking for a Nobel Peace Prize 05:14  |  chelemer 23/11/07
      97.   # 24 the golan belongs to syria... 05:43  |  eric 23/11/07
      98.   #76:U CALL ME DEVIL IN CAVE?I`M NOW IN TEHERAN BUSY BRINGING DOWN 06:03  |  VOICE of MOSHIACH))) 23/11/07
      99.   To Eric from Dr Eric 06:48  |  Dr Eric 23/11/07
      100.   #90 more from eric with his personal histories 08:26  |  victor hardman 23/11/07
      101.   Assad`s delusions of grandeur 08:42  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 23/11/07
      102.   LAKSHMI."Israels existence"Your brothers lost their land grab 08:59  |  PETER S.M. 23/11/07
      103.   Thanks for the belly laugh, Chelemer # 89 09:25  |  Clickfool 23/11/07
      104.   85Lakshmi 242 says that English, not French, version is official 09:59  |  Rob 23/11/07
      105.   # 100 to victor hardman 10:33  |  eric 23/11/07
      106.   Those who can neither rhyme nor riddle 10:57  |  Marsh maiden 23/11/07
      107.   102Peter SM & 104 Rob,how many UN resolutions has israel flaunted 12:14  |  lakshmi 23/11/07
      108.   102Lakshmi Legally the majority view is valid, not the minority 17:37  |  Rob 23/11/07
      109.   then there`s the lady in the swamp 07:47  |  Elder of the Glen 24/11/07
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