Bush, Olmert Set for Final Meeting in Washington
White House meeting expected to focus on the Iranian nuclear threat and progress in the Israeli-Palestinian peace talks.
AP
Monday, November 24, 2008
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and President George W. Bush are wrapping up three years of close cooperation with hopes of leaving a Mideast peace legacy to their successors.
Monday evening's White House session is expected to focus on the Iranian nuclear threat and assess progress in Israeli-Palestinian peace talks.
Olmert is meeting with Vice President Dick Cheney, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and national security adviser Stephen Hadley on Monday ahead of a private dinner with Bush.
Just a year ago, Olmert and the Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, proudly announced the resumption of peace talks after a seven-year hiatus at a summit hosted by Bush in Annapolis, Md. The three set an ambitious target of concluding a final peace deal by the end of 2008.
Despite frequent negotiating sessions, two trips to the region by Bush and eight more by Rice, the sides have little to show for their efforts and have acknowledged the year-end target will not be met.
Still, speaking Sunday to reporters aboard Air Force One as Bush headed back from an economics summit in Peru, Rice said the peace process is "in pretty good shape."
"Even though there was not an agreement by the end of the year, it is really largely because of the political situation in Israel," she said.
Bush, who spent the weekend in Peru at a meeting of Pacific Rim nations, invited Olmert to Washington as part of his final round of talks with world leaders before he leaves office Jan. 20. Olmert, who announced plans to resign in September amid corruption charges, will step down after a successor is chosen Feb. 10.
Israel has identified Tehran's nuclear program as its biggest threat in light of Iran's development of long-range weapons and President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's repeated calls for the destruction of the Jewish state. Both the U.S. and Israel say they hope diplomatic pressure resolves the standoff, but have not ruled out military action.
The two leaders also probably will discuss the global financial crisis, Israel's indirect peace talks.
-
Ensign's parents gave mistress's family $96k
posted 8hr(s) 52min(s)
-
Senate delays climate bill until September
posted 11hr(s) 30min(s)
Advertise on FOXNews.com, FOX News Channel , and FOX News Radio, Advertising Specifications (PDF)
Terms of Use Privacy Statement For FOXNews.com comments, write to foxnewsonline@foxnews.com; For FOX News Channel comments, write to yourcomments@foxnews.com
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. © 2008 FOX News Network, LLC. All rights reserved. All market data delayed 20 minutes.
