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U.S. Wants Israel to Expand Scope of Talks with Abbas
[Reuters] Adam Entous - The U.S. wants Israel to expand the scope of talks with Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas to begin tackling border and possibly other statehood issues, diplomats and Israeli officials said Tuesday. A Western diplomat involved in the deliberations said Washington was now eager to "expand the range of things discussed" between Olmert and Abbas. "They're more than testing the waters. The Americans are trying to see how much they can expand the envelope of 'political horizon'," a senior Israeli official said. Israeli officials said Olmert was prepared to discuss borders and other core issues in "general terms" that could lead to an "agreement of principles" for establishing a Palestinian state. But Olmert has not agreed to full-fledged negotiations over the three main final status issues - borders, the status of Jerusalem and Palestinian refugees - as proposed by Abbas. Israeli officials said any commitment now could raise expectations and lead to further violence if talks break down.