Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak (R) and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert leave following a joint news conference in Sharm El Sheikh June 4. (Reuters Photo)

    Olmert made the remarks at a joint conference with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak in Egypt's Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh.

    But he did not give a specific date for his meeting with Abbas. Israel is willing to negotiate with the Palestinians on the internationally-backed roadmap peace plan, which Olmert said is Israel's first priority.

    Olmert, however, said that the Palestinian side should meet the requirements set in the roadmap plan before resuming the negotiations.

    Under the internationally-backed roadmap plan, the Palestinians are expected to dismantle militant groups while Israel should freeze settlement expansion. Neither side has fulfilled the commitment. Enditem

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Mubarak-Olmert summit focuses on stalled Mideast peace process

    CAIRO, June 4 (Xinhua) -- Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak held talks with visiting Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on Sunday in Egypt's popular Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh over stalled Mideast peace process.

    The Mubarak-Olmert summit, first of its kind since Olmert became Israeli prime minister on May 4, also discussed Olmert's controversial convergence plan and a future three-way summit that will also involve Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. At a joint press conference after the summit, Mubarak said that Olmert's visit to Egypt is a good chance for peace in the troubled Middle East region.

    Egypt and Israel have been carrying out "good cooperation" in solving the Palestinians-Israeli conflicts, said Mubarak, adding that an eventual peace would be achieved no matter how hard it might be. >>>Full story