RAMALLAH, July 28 - A senior Palestinian official said on Monday a three-way meeting scheduled for Wednesday in Washington `is the last chance for peace negotiations with Israel.`

Palestinian negotiator Yasser Abed Rabbo told reporters in Ramallah that Israel and Palestinian negotiators would hold a meeting on Wednesday with U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in Washington.

`These meetings will be the last chance for peace talks between the two sides before making a declaration by the Palestinian leadership that peace negotiations with Israel failed,` said Abed Rabbo.

Israel and the Palestinians relaunched long-stalled peace talks on the permanent status issues after attending an international peace conference held in Annapolis in the United States in November, with an aim to reach a peace agreement by the end of 2008.

Both the Israeli and Palestinian officials doubted that the two sides would be able to reach a final agreement as planned on the six permanent status issues, including the status of Jerusalem, the return of Palestinian refugees, Israeli settlements, water, security and borders.

`The Palestinian leadership is studying all possibilities including the cessation of peace negotiations and contacts with Israel,` Abed Rabbo said.

He warned that `the Palestinian decision to stop talks with Israel would be taken if Israel continues its crimes against our people in the West Bank and continues settlements expansion in Jerusalem.`

Abed Rabbo said at the end of the three-way talks in Washington, `the Palestinian (National) Authority would call on the Arab League to convene to study the outcomes of these talks.`

U.S. President George W. Bush had promised the two sides that he will help them clinch such an agreement. However, Israeli Prime Minister cautioned earlier in the day that the two parties may not be able to ink a peace agreement including the issue of Jerusalem by the year-end.

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-07/28/content_8829038.htm