Palestinians agree to dismantle terrorist groups before establishing state

Israeli negotiators reported significant progress in talks with Palestinians Friday, as part of preparations for a US-sponsored Middle East conference in Annapolis which is to take place later this month. Late Wednesday, Israeli sources said, Palestinian negotiators accepted Israeli security demands. These assert that progress following the conference will depend on the Palestinians' fulfillment of obligations demanded of them in the first stage of the "road map" peace plan, namely the disarming and disbanding of all terror groups. The breakthrough was reportedly achieved during a late-night meeting between chief Israeli and Palestinian negotiators Tzipi Livni and Ahmed Qurei.