RAMALLAH, West Bank - US envoy George Mitchell and ineffectual Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas met on Thursday for their first meeting since indirect peace negotiations with Israel were launched earlier this month.
Following the discussions in the West Bank's political capital Ramallah, Mitchell was scheduled to hold a working meeting with Palestinian chief negotiator Saeb Erakat, a Palestinian official said. Before the talks, Erakat said they would address final status issues, referring to core disputes in the decades-old conflict such as the fate of Jerusalem and Palestinian refugees.
But he also warned that continued Israeli settlement activity, including in annexed Arab east Jerusalem, could scupper the talks.
Mitchell plans to shuttle between Washington, Jerusalem and Ramallah as part of the so-called proximity talks launched on May 9. He met Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak on Tuesday and planned to hold talks with hawkish Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu later on Thursday.
| In an attempt to dictate terms, no doubt. |
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