Olmert: Efforts to meet with Abbas stall (AP)

[Eugene]

Posted on Sun, Oct. 15, 2006

Olmert: Efforts to meet with Abbas stall
ARON HELLER
Associated Press

JERUSALEM - Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on Sunday said preparations
for his first working meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas
have broken down, an official said, in a new setback for attempts
to restart Mideast peace efforts.

The official quoted Olmert as saying Abbas is demanding the release
of Palestinian prisoners as a condition for holding the meeting.
Olmert said there would be no prisoner release until Hamas-linked
militants in the Gaza Strip release an Israeli soldier, Cpl. Gilad Shalit,
captured in June.

"We offered to meet with Abu Mazen, but apparently he is not
interested," Olmert was quoted as telling lawmakers from his Kadima
party. "He is conditioning a meeting on the release of prisoners and
we will not release any prisoners until Gilad Shalit is released."
Abbas is also known as Abu Mazen.

The official, who attended the meeting, spoke on condition of
anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the matter on
the record.

-snip-

Full article: http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/world/15766735.htm