By Xinhua
Ramallah : Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat on Saturday ruled out the possibility of establishing a Palestinian statehood in 2008, saying a peace deal with Israel was expected within year-end.
“In 2008, we expect a peace deal specifying the core final-status issues and how to begin dealing with them,” Erekat told reporters.
The Palestinian National Authority (PNA), which renewed peace talks with Israel last month, counts on an active U.S. role in pushing forward the slow-paced negotiations.
“The success to reach such a deal is subject to the Israeli government’s capability to stop the settlement buildings, remove checkpoints, stop the offensive and engage in serious negotiations,” Erekat said.
During a three-day visit to Israel and the Palestinian territories, U.S. President George W. Bush announced the activation of a U.S., Israeli and Palestinian committee to oversee the implementation of the Road Map peace plan which envisions a Palestinian statehood living alongside Israel, Erekat said.
Bush is currently in Kuwait on the first leg of a four-nation Gulf tour after visiting Israel and the Palestinian territories.
Israel and the PNA launched negotiations on Dec. 12 in the wake of the U.S.-hosted Annapolis peace conference late November. But two rounds of peace talks in December failed to yield any tangible progress mainly due to the disputed settlement activities.