RAMALLAH - Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas
said on Saturday he would urge a new U.S. administration
to make peace efforts between Israel and the Palestinians
a priority.
 

"If we assume we do not reach an agreement (under the
current administration), we urge the new U.S. administration to
immediately follow up the peace process and treat it as a
priority," Abbas said during a news conference in Ramallah.
 

Palestinian officials said Abbas would meet U.S. President
George W. Bush on Sept. 26 in Washington to review the peace
process and urge his administration not to blame either side if
they fail to reach a deal by the end of 2008 -- the target date
set last November at the U.S.-backed Annapolis peace conference.
 

"We will talk to President Bush about where we have reached
in our negotiations with the Israelis and point out the areas of
agreement and disagreement," he said.
 

He also reiterated his objection to any interim agreements
that did not cover all core issues, including the status of
Jerusalem, the fate of Palestinian refugees, Jewish settlements,
borders and security arrangements.
 

"We are not seeking an interim agreement or an agreement
that doesn't include the core issues," he said.
 

"We either achieve a comprehensive agreement or nothing. We
are working on this basis. Can we achieve this before the end of
this year? This requires great effort and we will continue our
effort, but we cannot say we can certainly achieve such an
agreement by the end of this year," Abbas said.
 

Palestinian negotiators have said the sides would continue
the talks until Bush leaves office and until a new Israeli prime
minister is chosen.
 

Ehud Olmert, embroiled in a series of corruption scandals,
has pledged to quit as premier once his centrist Kadima party
elects a new leader on Sept. 17.
 

Olmert could stay as caretaker prime minister for weeks or
months after formally resigning until a new government is formed
or a general election is held.