Olmert, Abbas begin talks, try to narrow differences

Jerusalem, Sep 10: Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas began a meeting today to see if they can narrow differences over Palestinian statehood ahead of a US-sponsored conference in November.

Israeli and Palestinian officials said the talks, taking place in Jerusalem, would seek to lay the ground for next week's planned visit of US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

An official in Olmert's office said the talks got underway at about 1445 hrs IST.

Reuters>