MIDDLE EAST:Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas yesterday called off a summit with Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert, seeking commitments Israel will release frozen Palestinian funds and take other steps.
"Abbas will not meet Olmert unless he responds to Palestinian demands, or at least some of these demands," Palestinian foreign minister Ziad Abu Amr said.
Mr Olmert and Mr Abbas had been due to meet in Jericho today for what would have been their first encounter in the occupied West Bank, reviving US-brokered talks that are supposed to focus on aspects of Palestinian statehood but have been stalled since April.
Mr Olmert told British prime minister Tony Blair by telephone "it was the Palestinians who had requested the postponement for their own reasons", Mr Olmert's office said. Government spokesman David Baker said Mr Olmert was ready to meet Mr Abbas at any time. Mr Olmert wrote in a British newspaper that Israel was prepared to make "painful concessions" to achieve peace with the Palestinians and was ready to discuss with Arab states their land-for-peace initiative.