Chief Palestinian negotiator: No talks without timeline

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
The chief Palestinian peace negotiator said Tuesday there would be no talks with Israel unless a deadline is set for establishing a Palestinian state. Palestinian Authority officials have repeatedly said they want a detailed timeline for talks that are expected to begin in earnest after a US-sponsored Mideast conference in November or December. But the comment by Ahmed Qureia was the first indication that Palestinians could scuttle negotiations altogether if that demand isn't met. "The Israeli prime minister (Ehud Olmert) has stated that he will not accept a timetable, and we say we will not accept negotiations without a timetable," Qureia said at a news conference with the EU's external affairs commissioner, Benita Ferrero-Waldner.