ANNAPOLIS, November 27 (RIA Novosti) - Israeli and Palestinian leaders agreed to resume talks aimed at making progress toward the creation of an independent Palestinian state, U.S. President George W. Bush said on Tuesday.
Following a closed-door meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas at the start of a U.S.-sponsored Mideast conference in Annapolis, Maryland, Bush read a joint statement that outlined a plan to launch negotiations to conclude a peace agreement by the end of 2008.
"We agree to immediately launch good-faith bilateral negotiations in order to conclude a peace treaty resolving all outstanding issues, including all core issues without exception, as specified in previous agreements," the statement said.
"We agree to engage in vigorous, ongoing and continuous negotiations and shall make every effort to conclude an agreement before the end of 2008," the leaders said.
According to the document, the parties will set up a "steering committee" that will monitor the progress of the resumed talks, with its first meeting to be held December 12. The committee will convene every two weeks after that.
The document also said that the negotiating parties pledged to fulfill their obligations in line with the "road map" toward the final settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
The "road map" was adopted on April 2003 by the Quartet of international mediators - the U.S., Russia, the United Nations and the European Union.
Talks between Israelis and Palestinians have been stalled for almost seven years, with no progress made on key issues such as the borders established before the Arab-Israeli war of 1967, Palestinian claims to East Jerusalem, the plight of Palestinian refugees, and Israeli settlements in the West Bank.
Speaking at the conference, Mahmoud Abbas said he was determined to defend the interests of Palestinians, and that East Jerusalem must become the capital of the future Palestinian state.
"I have the right here to defend openly and with no hesitation the right of my people to see a new dawn, with no occupation, no settlement, no separation wall, no prisons with thousands of prisoners, no assassinations, no siege, and no roadblocks around villages and cities."
Forty-four nations, including 14 Arab states are attending the Annapolis summit.
