Olmert and Abbas meet in J'lem to try to break negotiations deadlock

By AP, JPOST STAFF
Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas met in Jerusalem on Monday to try to break a deadlock in Israeli-Palestinian negotiations ahead of the US-sponsored Annapolis parley which is scheduled to take place next week. Olmert spokeswoman Miri Eisin said there was progress during the two-hour meeting between the two, which focused on carrying out the road map, as well as efforts to form a joint blueprint for peace, which they hoped to present to the conference next week. She added that negotiating teams planned to continue work later Tuesday. However, Israeli officials said significant gaps remained and there was a possibility there wouldn't be a joint statement at Annapolis.