Olmert downplays reports on agreement with Abbas

Olmert says, it is not a agreement, just a "joint declaration."

 

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert downplayed on Sunday media reports that he had reached an "agreement of principles" with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas ahead of the November peace conference.

Olmert said however that he and Abbas might issue a "joint declaration" at the US-sponsored conference.

"We are discussing a joint declaration that we hope will be the centerpiece of the international peace conference in Washington in November," Olmert said during a meeting with ministers of his Kadima party.

"I read media reports suggesting that we have reached an agreement of principles and that we only need to polish it. When we reach a declaration I will inform the government as I do not plan to keep it secret. There is a difference between an agreement of principles and a declaration," he said.

That's much better. For a while there, they had me scared. I was afraid there would be peace, and then the Middle East would not be interesting, and the undertakers would have less work. The lion would lie down with the lamb and a little child would lead them. But there is no agreement, just a joint declaration.

 

 By the way, what is the difference?

 

Ami Isseroff