USA: Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert meets with President Bush prior to Tuesday's mid-east Summit

US President George W. Bush tells Israel's Olmert that he's "looking forward to continuing our serious dialogue with you and the President of the Palestinian Authority", ahead of Mideast summit taking place in Annapolis, Maryland. Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert met with President Bush at the White House on Monday (November 26) to discuss Tuesday's mid-east Summit taking place in Annapolis, Maryland. The two leaders spoke optimistically about the possible outcome of the upcoming conference. "I'm looking forward to continuing our serious dialogue with you and the President of the Palestinian Authority to see whether or not peace is possible," said Bush in the oval office. "This time it's different because we're going to have lots of participants in what I hope will launch a serious process of negotiations between us and the Palestinians," responded Olmert. "This will be a bilateral process but the international support is very important for us and I thank you for the effort." The Annapolis bid represents Bush's most serious effort to solve the conflict seven years after his predecessor Bill Clinton failed to broker a settlement, but all sides have played down the chances of a breakthrough at the conference or soon after. The United States argues the timing is right to relaunch negotiations despite the challenges faced by the key players. Olmert's domestic standing has been sapped by corruption scandals and Israel's Lebanon war, and he faces opposition to concessions from rightists in his fragile governing coalition. Bush, weakened by the unpopular Iraq war, leaves office in January 2009, and the campaign to succeed him is in full swing. Underscoring the difficulties, Israel and the Palestinians appear hard put to agree on a joint document to present at Annapolis, More than 40 countries, including Saudi Arabia and Syria which do not have diplomatic relations with Israel, are expected to attend the one-day conference in Annapolis. Though preparations are well underway for the conference, which will be attended by dozens of international delegations, the campus of the academy was already a secured facility. There were a few signs warning of street closures and parking restrictions, but there did not appear to be much of a visible increase of security around the campus. U.S. Marines manned posts near the campus's entrance as the usually do. No cameras were allowed on campus Monday morning. It being a city with a U.S. naval heritage, many residents of Annapolis are patriotic. Every morning at "Chick & Ruth's Delly," diners are asked to pause for a moment and recite the "Pledge of Allegiance" to the flag of the United States of America. Annapolitans, as they like to be called, seemed skeptically optimistic as to the possible outcome of tomorrow's summit. "I'm not negative about it, but on the other hand, I'm not too positive either. But if they can speak, and talk, and discuss problems I think it might help," said Bill Hahn, a retired former sailor as he waited for his breakfast at 'Chick and Ruth's Delly' on mainstreet. U.S. officials stressed the meeting would not be a negotiating session on the core issues of borders, security, the status of Jerusalem and the future of Palestinian refugees but rather a chance to launch Israeli-Palestinian peace talks.

ITN Source | November 27, 2007

Tags:. .conflict. .scandals. .breakfast. .bid. .stressed