Erekat: We'll keep meeting Olmert as long as he's PM; two leaders discuss core peace issues, agree to meet again.
By HERB KEINON, APOlmert Abbas discuss 224.88(photo credit: GPO)
Prime Minister Ehud Olmert met Palestinian Authority Mahmoud Abbas Tuesday night, on the eve of the Kadima primaries, and pledged to continue with the diplomatic process until a new government is sworn in by the Knesset, a process that could take either a few weeks or a number of months.
Olmert's spokesman Mark Regev said that as the two emerged from a two-hour meeting at the Prime Minister's Jerusalem residence, they had agreed to meet again after Abbas returned next week from attending the UN General Assembly meeting in New York.
Olmert, because of the unique political situation here, will not be attending that meeting, and Israel will be represented there instead by President Shimon Peres.
"Until a new government is sworn in by the Knesset, the prime minister has the weight of responsibility on his shoulders and won't shirk that responsibility," Regev said. "We have already scheduled a meeting when Abbas returns from New York, and I don't think that will be the last one."
Regev described the meeting as "intensive," and said the two leaders discussed the core issues that have been dealt with over the last few months.
These issues include borders, security arrangements and refugees.
Regev said that Olmert believes the negotiations can work, and the "door has not been closed." Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, the Kadima front-runner who generally takes part in the first half of these meetings as the head of Israel's negotiating team, was not present, doing last-minute campaigning instead. Palestinian chief negotiator, Ahmed Qurei, was also not in on the talks.
Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said on Wednesday that Abbas and Olmert would continue to meet for peace talks as long as Olmert remained in office.
Olmert pledged to step down over corruption allegations but could stay in his post until next year if his resignation leads to a new election.
Briefing reporters Wednesday on the previous evening's meeting, Erekat said: "Olmert asked for more meetings, we said we're OK with that...Olmert is the prime minister of Israel, and until he leaves office, we will still be dealing with him."
The Israeli participants were Olmert's foreign policy advisor Shalom Turgeman, his military secretary Meir Kalifi and his spokesman Ya'akov Galanti. The PA representatives were negotiator Saeb Erekat and Abbas's chief of staff Rafik Husseini.
The meeting began with the teams sitting down together at 9 p.m., followed by a one-on-one meeting between Olmert and Abbas. The two have been meeting every few weeks since last November's Annapolis conference to discuss the status of the negotiations.
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