By Brian Knowlton Russia, with at least tacit American support, hopes to host a follow-up Middle East peace conference sometime in early 2008, with a goal of establishing direct Israeli-Syrian negotiations to resolve the longstanding Golan Heights dispute.

Hours before the opening of a high-stakes international conference on the Middle East, President Bush and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert expressed hope Monday that peace finally could be achieved.

By David Wood, The Baltimore Sun Nov. 26--WASHING

By Donald Macintyre Israeli and moderate Palestinian leaders were struggling last night to agree a joint declaration intended to be the centrepiece of the international United States-convened Middle East summit less than a week away.

The chief Palestinian peace negotiator raised the stakes Tuesday for a U.S.-sponsored peace conference, saying there will be no talks with Israel unless it agrees to set a deadline for establishing a Palestinian state.