Olmert leaves for Annapolis peace conference

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert left for the United States early Sunday ahead of next week's peace conference in Annapolis, Maryland, accompanied by Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni. Boarding the flight, Olmert told journalists he hoped the meeting would "allow the launch of serious negotiations on all the core issues, which will lead to a solution of two national homes for two peoples." Olmert said he would be happy to see Syria attend the conference and that he didn't think the Americans promised the Syrians anything in return for their participation in the conference. He said that if the conditions will be created for negotiations with Syria Israel would see this positively.