The New Nation - Internet Edition

AFP, Tokyo

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert voiced doubt Tuesday that the Jewish state would meet a goal of reaching a comprehensive peace agreement with the Palestinians this year. "We have a desire to reach an agreement within the year 2008. But I am not sure we will make it," Olmert said on a visit to Tokyo. Olmert and Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas late last year restarted negotiations after a seven-year freeze with a summit in Annapolis near Washington. The talks set a goal of concluding a comprehensive agreement by the end of 2008, coinciding with the end of George W. Bush's US presidency. Olmert said there was "no better opportunity" than now to reach a settle the Middle East conflict. "We are determined to make a giant step forward to end this dispute once and for all," Olmert said. "We want to make every possible effort to seize this opportunity."