Originally published by the Voice of America (www.voanews.com).
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August 7, 2007

Israel Promises Abbas to Work for Improvement of Palestinian Lives
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http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=186BF72:A6F02AD83191E1601FB00BE2E9F3595B9574F7DCC14957C0 Palestinian
President Mahmoud Abbas made remark after talks with Israeli Prime
Minister Ehud Olmert, Monday





Ehud Olmert, left, shakes hands with Mahmoud Abbas after their
meeting, 06 Aug 2007Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas says Israel
has promised quick solutions for many of the day-to-day concerns of
Palestinians in the occupied areas.

Mr. Abbas made the remark on the Voice of Palestine radio after
Monday's talks with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert in the West
Bank town of Jericho.

He said he believed the Israeli leader is "serious" about making
progress in efforts to revitalize the peace process.

Earlier, Mr. Olmert said he discussed "fundamental issues" that - in
the Israeli leader's words - will soon lead into negotiations about
the creation of a Palestinian state.



Israeli officials say the Jericho meeting did not deal with so-called
final-status issues, such as setting a border, dismantling Jewish
settlements in the West Bank and the future of Jerusalem.

The meeting -- the first time an Israeli leader visited a Palestinian
town in nearly seven years -- was part of preparations for a U.S.
sponsored Middle East peace conference expected in November.

Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said more meetings will be needed
to prepare for the peace conference.

Israel captured the West Bank during the 1967 Arab-Israeli war. The
territory is now a patchwork of Israeli settlements, areas under
Israeli military occupation, and areas under the Palestinian
Authority.



Some information for this report was provided by  AP and Reuters.


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