Tel Aviv, November 25, SPA -- Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Sunday headed to the upcoming U.S.-hosted Mideast peace conference promising to «exert all efforts» to reach a deal with Israel. Israel and the Palestinians have been trying for months tohammer out a joint blueprint for peace to present to theconference, taking place this week in Washington andAnnapolis, Maryland. «The positions with the Israelis before Annapolis arestill far apart, and the negotiations are still ongoing,»Abbas said on the plane heading to the U.S. His quotesappeared Sunday in the Palestinian newspaper al-Ayyam. Despite the differences, Abbas said he was committed todoing everything possible to hammer out a peace agreementin the coming year. Both Israel and the U.S. have said theyhope to reach a deal before President George W. Bush leavesoffice in January 2009. «We will exert all efforts to achieve peace within thisperiod,» Abbas was quoted as saying by the Associated Press.--SPA www.spa.gov.sa/503056