Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said Thursday that the meeting held in Jerusalem between President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert "was deep and positive."
Erekat told a news conference held in Ramallah afterwards that the meeting focused on stopping settlements activities in the West Bank and reopening closed official Palestinian offices in east Jerusalem.
"Prime Minister Olmert informed President Mahmoud Abbas that Israel would freeze settlements activities in the West Bank. Both agreed to be committed to the implementation of the roadmap peace plan," said Erekat.
Thursday's meeting between Abbas and Olmert was the first of its kind since the U.S.-sponsored Annapolis conference. Before their meeting, negotiators from both sides held two sessions of talks but no tangible results had been achieved.
"President Abbas stressed on the necessity to stop all settlements activities and make the year 2008 a year of peace and settlements in order to reach a final peace agreement," said Erekat.
Erekat also said that President Abbas asked Ehud Olmert to consider reopening the crossings on the borders between Gaza and Israel or between Gaza and Egypt.
Israel has been imposing a tightened siege on the Gaza Strip since Hamas movement ousted Abbas' security forces and took control of the enclave in mid June.
"President Abbas asked Prime Minister Olmert not to use the humanitarian needs of Gaza Strip's population as a sword pointed at the populations' necks," said Erekat.
Erekat, meanwhile, said that both sides have agreed to resume the talks on final status issues and to avoid any action that could obstruct the talks.
"Both Abbas and Olmert agreed to hold regular meetings," he added.
Source: Xinhua
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