Israel, Palestine working on joint document for summit

RAMALLAH: Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has said that Israeli and Palestinian negotiators were working on preparing a document that would tackle final status issues before the upcoming international meeting on the Middle East.
 
The summit, called by US President George W. Bush and set to take place in Maryland next month, partly aims to agree on the outlines of final status talks to establish an independent Palestinian state.
 
Talks kicked off on Monday between Israeli and Palestinian negotiators for the first time since 2000, to prepare for a joint document ahead of the parley.
 
Foreign Minister Ali Babajan, Abbas said that a joint Israel-Palestinian committee had begun work on preparing a document, or what the Israelis are calling 'a declaration'.
 
"We have to put out things positively and optimistically by heading towards resolving all outstanding issues with Israel," said Abbas. "We have got to do so, because it's so important, in order to see the peace summit succeeding."
 
Palestinian observers said that the Israeli and the Palestinian negotiators have to agree on final status issues, mainly concerning Jerusalem, Palestinian refugees and the borders of any independent Palestinian state.
 
"We have to agree on all these issues, either in the document that both are working on, or after holding the summit in the United States," said Abbas.
 
Meanwhile, Abbas announced that he had been invited by Babajan to visit Turkey, adding that the visit would take place before the US summit.
 
Babajan told reporters his country supports ending the Israeli occupation and establishing a sovereign independent Palestinian state "which is considered a natural right of the Palestinians".