Netanyahu-Abbas meeting still unclear

            ‏‏Talks among the Quartet of Middle East peace mediators to find a path to revive Israeli-Palestinian peace talks have been productive and should continue, a US official told reporters on Monday. US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton says there is still time to find a solution to the diplomatic crisis over plans by the Palestinians to demand statehood rights at the UN this week. Clinton told reporters in New York that the US is talking with all sides to defuse the standoff. Speaking on the eve of the annual UN General Assembly, Clinton says the week is young and there are still several days to seek compromise. It was still unclear whether a meeting will take place in New York between Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas. Sources in Jersualem say it appears that despite Abbas' comments expressing willingness to meet with Netanyahu, such a discussion would include pre-conditions. Senior diplomatic sources in Jerusalem says that the prime minister made clear that a meeting will happen only if there are no such conditions, and that all the matters in dispute are raised. Netanyahu, who leaves Tuesday for New York, said he would like to hold talks with Abbas and launch negotiations that will continue in Jerusalem and Ramallah. He is slated to hold talks upon arriving in NewwYork with US President Barack Obama and other heads of state. Netanyahu is scheduled to address the UN General Assembly on Friday, shortly after the speech of Abbas.(18,41)