MER - Palestinians ease demands for conference

<body bgcolor="#FFFFFF"> "Annapolis is not about implementation. It's about defining the issues, showing how we go forward without giving the solutions right now," said Olmert's spokeswoman, Miri Eisin. <br> <br>A U.S. diplomat said Washington was encouraged by the latest Palestinian position, which appears to match Israeli and American thinking. <br> <br>"We've never envisioned Annapolis as a meeting that hammers out core issues, but rather sets the stage for parties to work on the core issues in an atmosphere of confidence," said the diplomat, who asked that he not be named in accordance with State Department policy. <br> <br>An official date for the conference is expected to be announced within the next 10 days, along with formal invitations. <b on></b> </body>