Visiting Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas yesterday ruled out the possibility of clinching a peace pact with Israel within 2008.

"Frankly speaking, there will be no comprehensive solution before the end of 2008," Abbas said after talks with Jordan's King Abdullah II.

"There is no possibility of working out a partial agreement, because we seek a comprehensive accord," he added.

Jordan's King Abdullah in the talks highlighted the importance of "reconciliation" between rival Palestinian groups Fatah and Hamas, saying such a step would be "instrumental in fulfilling the objective of setting up an independent Palestinian state," according to a statement of the Royal Hashemite Court.

Israelis and Palestinians agreed last November at a U.S.-hosted international conference, held in Maryland's Annapolis, to relaunch the stalled peace talks with an aim to hammer out a comprehensive peace treaty by the end of 2008.

However, little substantial progress has been made due to deep differences on sensitive issues.