Bush launches drive for Mideast peace

Israeli and Palestinian negotiators neared an agreement yesterday on a peace agenda as President George W. Bush launched a new drive to restart long-dormant talks to create a Palestinian state.

Expectations were low for three days of meetings in Washington and nearby Annapolis, Maryland, partly because President Bush, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas all face political challenges at home.

President Bush, beginning his biggest attempt at Middle East peace with only 14 months left in office, held Oval Office talks with Mr Olmert and planned a separate session with President Abbas later.

Mr Bush told Mr Olmert he was looking forward to a serious dialogue with the two leaders "to see whether or not peace is possible." He said he was optimistic about the outcome. He is to meet the two leaders together today in Annapolis Mr Olmert said he hoped to launch a serious process of negotiations.

"This time it is different," he said, hailing what he described as "very important" international participation in the conference.

Despite long-standing frictions, Israeli and Palestinian officials said they were close to agreement on a joint document that would outline the peace goals to follow this week's sessions.

A top aide to President Abbas, Yasser Abed Rabbo, predicted an announcement on the joint document and said: "There will be extensive meetings and efforts in order to reach this document."

Israeli officials said negotiators had narrowed some of their differences over the document, which will chart the course for negotiating the toughest issues of the conflict - Jerusalem, borders, security and Palestinian refugees.

State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said both sides were "converging" on a document.

Syria and Saudi Arabia have promised to attend the Annapolis talks today, joining envoys from more than 40 countries at the US Naval Academy, making the conference one of the most sweeping efforts in years.

A senior Israeli official played down the chances of any direct talks - or even an exchange of hand shakes - between Israeli and Saudi or Syrian leaders during the conference.

"They (Arab leaders) won't do it until they get something concrete from Israel," the official said on condition of anonymity.

Washington says the hard work will begin only after this week, when Israelis and Palestinians must tackle the issues at the core of the conflict.

In a reminder of the tit-for-tat violence that has caused havoc in the region for decades, a Palestinian Hamas militant was killed and four others were wounded yesterday by an Israeli missile strike in the northern Gaza Strip.

In Jerusalem's Old City, at least 15,000 Israelis opposed to this week's talks gathered at the Western Wall to pray and protest against the Annapolis meeting.

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has put her credibility on the line for the conference. She argues Annapolis would be an opportunity for Israel and Sunni Arabs to close ranks against regional "extremism" - an apparent allusion at least in part to Iran's nuclear programme.

Iran has condemned Annapolis as a ruse for aiding Israel.

"All politicians in the world are aware that this conference is doomed to failure," Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said a televised speech in Tehran.

The Annapolis bid follows years of failed US-brokered efforts, the last by President Bush's predecessor Bill Clinton, to end decades of conflict and forge a Palestinian state.