Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said Sunday that he and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas have not reached an “agreement of principles” and they are currently discussing a non-binding declaration of intent which will represent the basis of a future peace deal.

“There is a difference between an agreement of principles and a declaration,” Olmert said at a meeting of his Kadima Party. “We are talking about a joint statement which we hope will be the focus of the international summit in November.”

“I read media reports suggesting that we have reached an agreement of principles and that we only need to polish it. When we reach a declaration I will inform the government as I do not plan to keep it secret,” the premier added.

The two leaders have been meeting regularly in order to prepare the framework for a US-sponsored summit scheduled to take place in November. Olmert and Abbas are trying to work out some of their dissensions so that peace talks may progress and eventually end with a sturdy agreement.

But differences continue to exist, Abbas wanting a firm agreement that would tackle core issues of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and include a program for the implementation of this pact.

On the other side, Olmert tries to avoid such a deal with compulsory conditions and presses for a simple document which would include the principles of a future peace pact.

Meanwhile, Israeli troops continue military operations against militants in Palestinian Territories.

During such a “routine operation,” Israeli soldiers shot dead a militant of the al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades in Nablus, West Bank. Military sources said two gunmen were spotted by the soldiers and a clash immediately erupted, when the armed militants opened fire.

Another suspected militant was killed by IDF soldiers in Hebron after a clash between rival clans turned into a dispute with Israeli forces.

An Israeli military spokeswoman said troops were sent in the area to investigate a fire exchange between clans, but were attacked with stones by Palestinians. Two armed men reportedly approached the security forces and opened fire, sparking a brief firefight.