No progress in talks with Israel: Abbas

Both the sides have set a year-end target for reaching an accord, though both have suggested that is optimistic.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas says nothing has been achieved in the peace talks with Israel.

While Abbas says he rejects any attempts to delay negotiations over the core issues in the conflict, Israel has said the fate of Jerusalem would be put off until later in the US-backed talks. The sides have set a year-end target for reaching an accord, though both have suggested that is optimistic.

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The chief Palestinian negotiation, Ahmed Qureia, says that the Palestinians will only accept a comprehensive deal. Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert had suggested recently that only guidelines for an agreement might be possible. Abbas and Qureia spoke yesterday at a gathering of leaders of their Fatah movement.