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Bush urges compromise on Mid-East Bush issues rally call for summit
(about 3 hours later)
US President George W Bush has warned "difficult compromises" will be needed to secure an Israeli-Palestinian peace deal at talks due to open in Maryland. US President George W Bush has said "a battle is underway" for the future of the Middle East as regional leaders gathered for a key peace summit.
Speaking at a dinner for the main participants, Mr Bush however insisted that Israeli and Palestinian leaders were committed to making them. Mr Bush said in prepared remarks ahead of the Maryland conference that the aim of the meeting was to launch talks, not conclude a peace agreement.
He was speaking on the eve of the most important Middle East talks in years. At Annapolis are the Palestinian and Israeli leaders as well as senior Syrian and Saudi Arabian delegates.
More than 40 organisations and countries, including Saudi Arabia and Syria, are attending the conference. In the West Bank, one person was killed in a protest against the conference.
Observers say the fact that the summit is being hosted by the US and has attracted the participation of Arab states like Saudi Arabia and Syria that do not recognise Israel, are critical to chances for success. Palestinian security forces broke up several protests against the Annapolis gathering, including one in the town of Ramallah. One man was killed in Hebron, Palestinian medical officials said.
OBSTACLES TO PEACE class="" href="/1/hi/world/middle_east/6668603.stm">Jerusalem class="" href="/1/hi/world/middle_east/6666495.stm">Water class="" href="/1/hi/world/middle_east/6659239.stm">Refugees class="" href="/1/hi/world/middle_east/6669545.stm">Borders and settlements class="" href="/1/hi/world/middle_east/6666393.stm">History of failed talks The Bush administration hopes that the meeting in Annapolis, Maryland, will kick-start the first Israeli-Palestinian peace talks in seven years - a programme of meetings over the next year or so, which will lead to a Palestinian state. There was a further large protest in the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip.
Before arriving in Annapolis, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal was quoted by Saudi-owned Asharq Al-Awsat newspaperas saying that the Bush administration had promised that the negotiations would be completed within a year Low expectations
However, correspondents say expectations for Tuesday's meeting at the naval academy in Annapolis are modest. Mr Bush is hoping to find a solution before he leaves office in early 2009.
In remarks prepared for delivery to the diplomats and representatives from more than 40 countries and international organisations, Mr Bush said the goal of creating a Palestinian state to co-exist in peace alongside Israel would not be easy.
ANNAPOLIS SCHEDULE 1400 GMT (0900 Washington time): Arrivals1440-1530 GMT: Closed meeting between Bush, Olmert and Abbas1600 GMT: Speeches by all three leaders1700 GMT: Three sessions on international support, economic and institutional development and regional peace 0030 GMT: End of meeting press conference
"Such a state will provide Palestinians with the chance to lead lives of freedom, purpose and dignity," Mr Bush said in the statement released by the White House.
"And such a state will help provide Israelis with something they have been seeking for generations: to live in peace with their neighbours."
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert as well as Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal and Syria's Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad are in attendance.
Their presence is regarded as vital, but expectations of success at the naval academy in Annapolis remain low.
In Ramallah, Palestinians protested against the Annapolis conference
The Bush administration hopes that the meeting will catalyse the first Israeli-Palestinian peace talks in seven years - a programme of meetings over the next year or so which will lead to a Palestinian state.
Before arriving in Annapolis, Prince Saud was quoted by Saudi-owned Asharq al-Awsat newspaper as saying that the Bush administration had promised the negotiations would be completed within a year.
Observers say the fact that the summit is being hosted by the US and has attracted the participation of Arab states like Saudi Arabia and Syria that do not recognise Israel is critical to chances for success.
Wider tensionsWider tensions
BBC Middle East editor Jeremy Bowen in Washington says there are a number of issues that could scupper any chances of a deal - in particular the absence of Palestinian faction Hamas, which is designated a terrorist organisation by the US, the EU and Israel.BBC Middle East editor Jeremy Bowen in Washington says there are a number of issues that could scupper any chances of a deal - in particular the absence of Palestinian faction Hamas, which is designated a terrorist organisation by the US, the EU and Israel.
In Jerusalem, Israelis gathered to protest against the conference Hamas is not attending the Annapolis talks class="" href="/1/hi/world/middle_east/7105446.stm">Q&A: Annapolis class="" href="/1/hi/world/middle_east/7106006.stm">Possibilities of Annapolis
Hamas controls the internal affairs of the Gaza Strip and says it will not be bound by anything decided in Annapolis.Hamas controls the internal affairs of the Gaza Strip and says it will not be bound by anything decided in Annapolis.
Our correspondent says the dynamic power of the Israeli settlers on occupied Palestinian territories is also a thorny issue. In Gaza on Tuesday thousands of people joined a rally protesting against the talks, many of them chanting "Abbas is a traitor" and "We will not recognise Israel".
In Jerusalem, thousands of Israelis gathered at the Western Wall on Monday to protest against the conference, with Israeli opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu labelling the meeting "a continuation of one-sided concessions". Our correspondent says the dynamic power of the Israeli settlers on occupied Palestinian territories is a thorny issue.
In Jerusalem, Israelis had gathered at the Western Wall on Monday to protest against the conference, with Israeli opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu labelling the meeting "a continuation of one-sided concessions".
The wider tensions in the Middle East are also a concern, with many fearing that problems with Iraq, Iran and Lebanon could derail any peace process, our correspondent says.The wider tensions in the Middle East are also a concern, with many fearing that problems with Iraq, Iran and Lebanon could derail any peace process, our correspondent says.
Hands-on approach At the formal welcome dinner on Monday, hosted by US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in Washington, Mr Bush made his own personal commitment to a peace process from which correspondents say he has appeared disengaged for much of his presidency.
At the formal welcome dinner, hosted by US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in Washington, Mr Bush said Palestinians and Israelis shared a "common goal: two democratic states, Israel and Palestine, living side by side in peace and security". Mr Olmert and Mr Abbas held separate meetings with Mr Bush in the White House on Monday.
Mr Bush made his own personal commitment to a peace process from which correspondents say he has appeared disengaged for much of his presidency. KEY ISSUES class="" href="/1/hi/world/middle_east/6668603.stm">Jerusalem class="" href="/1/hi/world/middle_east/6666495.stm">Water class="" href="/1/hi/world/middle_east/6659239.stm">Refugees class="" href="/1/hi/world/middle_east/6669545.stm">Borders and settlements class="" href="/1/hi/world/middle_east/6666393.stm">History of failed talks
Hamas is not attending the Annapolis talks class="" href="/1/hi/world/middle_east/7105446.stm">Q&A: Annapolis class="" href="/1/hi/world/middle_east/7106006.stm">Possibilities of Annapolis Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas held separate meetings with Mr Bush in the White House on Monday. The three will each make a speech before the Annapolis negotiations, which also involve members of the Middle East Quartet, UN Security Council and G8 industrialised nations, get under way.
The three will gather together at Annapolis later on Tuesday, each making a speech before the negotiations, which also involve members of the Middle East Quartet, UN Security Council and G8 industrialised nations, get under way.
Our correspondent says that both Mr Abbas and Mr Olmert believe they are not going to get a better chance to forge a peace, in part because of their own political weakness and in part because of the way the Middle East is changing.Our correspondent says that both Mr Abbas and Mr Olmert believe they are not going to get a better chance to forge a peace, in part because of their own political weakness and in part because of the way the Middle East is changing.
On Monday, Mr Olmert told reporters the "international support" provided by participants was a crucial factor in his optimism. On Monday, Mr Olmert told reporters: "This time it's different because we are going to have lots of participants in what I hope will launch a serious process of negotiations between us and the Palestinians."
"This time it's different because we are going to have lots of participants in what I hope will launch a serious process of negotiations between us and the Palestinians," Mr Olmert said. Mr Abbas said: "We have a great deal of hope that this conference will produce... expanded negotiations over all permanent-status issues that would lead to a peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinian people."
But Mr Olmert also cautioned that no peace deal could be agreed without the halting of rocket attacks into Israel from Gaza.
For his part, Mr Abbas praised the initiative but said talks would have to address the obstacles to Palestinian statehood - the "permanent-status issues" - that have felled previous attempts at peace negotiations.
"We have a great deal of hope that this conference will produce... expanded negotiations over all permanent-status issues that would lead to a peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinian people," he said after meeting Mr Bush.