"The stark reality is that we have only five days left to find the ultimate agreement.
Israeli leaders from both the left and the right have made it clear that as part of an ultimate agreement, Israel will part with a majority of settlements.
Recently, there have been signs of cooperation in this tug of war over turf, leading Mr. Espaillat to predict an ultimate agreement.
Greece's apparent new urgency was signalled hours after the late-night warning from Donald Tusk, who chairs meetings of European leaders, that the EU had only five days left to find "the ultimate agreement".
It met with criticism today from Gov. George E. Pataki's office and his fellow Republicans in the Senate majority, but environmental lobbyists and state officials in both parties said it could be a step toward an ultimate agreement.
Although billed as the last chance to secure "the ultimate agreement" on the Greek debt crisis, the prospects of a grand political bargain to keep Greece in the eurozone are far from assured.
Fiske never did ask directly what took Brooks and Davidge so long to work out a deal, but he suggested several other scenarios for what might have led to the ultimate agreement.
"The stark reality is that we only have five days to find the ultimate agreement," said a visibly irritated European Council President Donald Tusk, the former prime minister of Poland.
"We believe that Mr. Turner and Mr. Kennedy can initially help break down the barriers and then play an important ongoing role in facilitating successful engagement and ultimate agreement with key First Nations communities".
This might even be described as a polite monologue, as opposed to a real dialogue, and can be potentially very frustrating for people who wanted, expected or hoped for some ultimate agreement.
Israel has said it would take part in the meeting, but refuses to negotiate with the Palestinians now about final status issues such as the fate of Jerusalem, borders and Palestinian refugees, relating to an ultimate peace agreement.
