World
Mideast peace summit approaches
WATCH VIDEO
Source: CCTV.com | 11-26-2007 08:37
Special Report: Mideast Peace Conference
 |
In this image made available by the Palestinian Press Office in August 2007, Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas meets with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert (R) at his official residence in Jerusalem. (AFP/PPO/File/Omar Al-Rashidi)
Both the Israeli and Palestinian delegations have arrived in the US for the upcoming Middle East peace conference.
Nearly 50 countries and organizations will participate in the conference in hopes of resuming the stalled Mideast peace process.
A plane carrying Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert arrived at Andrews Air Force base in Maryland on Sunday. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas arrived a day earlier.
Both leaders have said they will try to negotiate a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict at Tuesday's meeting in Annapolis. But expectations are low after weeks of intense talks failed to produce a joint declaration to serve as a basis for final status talks.
For the first time in 16 years, Arab League ministers will join the conference hoping to promote the creation of a Palestinian state.
Israel's Foreign Minister expects some positive developments in the peace process.
 |
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice (L) and Israel's Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni give a joint press conference in Jerusalem in January 2007. (AFP/Pool/Ammar Awad)
Tzipi Livni, Israeli Foreign Minister, said, "Over the coming week I expect to see both sides, the Israeli and the Palestinian, launching a peace process that will begin after the conference. I expect the Arab World to stop sitting on the fence and come to support the bilateral path."
Syria has announced it will send its deputy foreign minister to the conference, as the issue of the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights has been added to the agenda.
A Palestinian spokesman says Syria's decision at any level is "a step forward for Palestinians." An Israeli spokeswoman for Olmert also welcomed Syria's involvement.
The conference will be anchored around a marathon session on Tuesday at the Naval Academy and will be opened by US President George W. Bush.
Editor:Zhang Pengfei
