Abbas-Olmert meeting to be held next Monday

December 22, 2006

Bethlehem - Ma'an – An informed Palestinian source has confirmed to Ma'an News Agency that the expected summit between Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert will be held next Monday, after the Christmas celebrations.

The source added that "what facilitated the meeting was the removal of the main obstacle before it, namely the prisoners' problem. The Israelis have, for the first time, agreed to reformulate the joint prisoners' committee, on the basis that the Palestinians be involved in the selection of their prisoners to be released in the expected exchange".

Chief Palestinian negotiator, Dr Sa'eb Erekat, and head of the office of the president, Dr Rafiq Al-Husayni, met last week, repeatedly, with the staff of Ehud Olmert, to prepare for the summit meeting between Abbas and Olmert.

In the same regard, President Abbas had expressed his optimism to meet with Olmert in a joint press conference with the Italian foreign minister, Massimo D'Alema.