Abbas says ready to hold talks with Olmert

[Omaha Steve]

http://reuters.excite.com/article/20060910/2006-09-10T114648Z_01_L13492527_RTRIDST_0_NEWS-MIDEAST-DC.html

Abbas says ready to hold talks with Olmert
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Sep 10, 7:46 AM (ET)

By Mohammed Assadi

RAMALLAH, West Bank (Reuters) - Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said on Sunday he was ready to meet Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert as soon as possible to resume long-stalled peace negotiations.

Olmert, who voiced a willingness on Saturday to hold talks with Abbas, told the Israeli cabinet it was time to create a "new horizon" with the Palestinians, officials said.

"I stand fully ready to meet the prime minister... without prior conditions and we are ready to begin immediately the preparations for this meeting," Abbas told a news conference with visiting British Prime Minister Tony Blair.

But Olmert has made clear there could be no progress toward peace unless the Palestinians meet their obligations under an internationally-backed "road map" that calls for the dismantling of armed groups, such as the governing Hamas movement.

FULL story at link above.

[sugapablo]

1. *sigh*

Let's say Olmert and Abbas fell in love, ran off together to some moutain resort, frolicked in teh sun for days, and came back with a peace plan that was so good, that it actually called for LOVE not just PEACE.

Doesn't mean a damn thing so long as their constituents still hate each other.

I mean don't get me wrong, it would be FANTASTIC if the two governments made nice. But I can't imagine any agreement on paper doing much good on the ground. Not for a few generations at least.

I'll be thrilled for anyone to prove me wrong though. :)