Friday, August 20, 2010

BBC News-Middle East Peace Talks To Continue

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and US Special Envoy George Mitchell: BBC News
(Story reported by Kim Ghattas for BBC News)

Israel and the Palestinians have agreed to resume direct negotiations for the first time in 20 months, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has said.

Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas have been invited to Washington on 2 September to start the talks.

They have agreed to place a one-year time limit on the direct negotiations.

But correspondents say prospects of a comprehensive deal are slim, as serious disagreements exist on the core issues.

Sensitive areas - including the construction of Jewish settlements on occupied territory, the status of Jerusalem, the borders of a future Palestinian state and the right of return - will be difficult to overcome.

(Click here to read the full story on the BBC News website)


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