Mideast mediators meet in Egypt

updated 12:01 p.m. ET Nov. 9, 2008

SHARM EL-SHEIK, Egypt - Mideast mediators met Sunday in a bid to preserve U.S.-backed Israeli-Palestinian peace talks despite their looming failure to produce a deal by year's end.

Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas kicked off the meeting of the Quartet, which includes the United States, European Union, United Nations and Russia, by standing up and shaking hands.

Before the meeting began, Livni told Israeli Army Radio that she would not be presenting any dramatic reports of progress and her goal at the meeting was to keep the pressure off Israel as elections approach.

She said she believes that if mediators see Israel is serious about an agreement with the Palestinians, they will not pressure the Jewish state about deadlines or the specifics of the negotiations right now.

Israel is scheduled to hold parliamentary elections Feb. 10, and polls show that Livni, the chief Israeli negotiator, is neck and neck with former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who opposes negotiations with the Palestinians at this point.

Reaffirming commitment to peace
With a peace agreement not in sight after nearly 12 months of negotiations, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is expected to press the two sides and fellow mediators at Sunday's meeting to reaffirm their commitment to the peace process even after the year-end deadline pushed by President Bush passes.

An Israeli government official said Sunday that Israel "absolutely" wants to continue the process begun at last November's Mideast peace conference hosted by Bush in Annapolis, Maryland.

But the official, speaking on condition of anonymity because talks are confidential, said Israel would not release details on the talks because of the politically sensitive time.

Israeli and Palestinian negotiators are expected to present a report card Sunday on what they have achieved in secret discussions since last November's meeting, but are not expected to get into specifics, officials said.

Then the mediators are expected to give their blessing to continuing the Annapolis process, which sets out a multi-pronged approach to achieving peace that includes building up Palestinian institutions in anticipation of the creation of an independent Palestine.

Rice headed into the meeting after three days of talks in Israel and the Palestinian territories during which she acknowledged that the year-end deadline could not be met due to political uncertainty in Israel but insisted the process must continue and could succeed.

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