Israeli, Palestinian PMs finally set for meeting

"Mr Sharon and Mr Qorei are planning to meet next week but the date of their summit has not yet been finalised," a source close to Sharon told AFP.

It would be the first such encounter since Qorei took over in October from his predecessor Mahmud Abbas.

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According to Israeli reports, the meeting has been pencilled in for Tuesday with the agenda beingfinalised at a meeting of the two prime ministers' bureau chiefs on Sunday.

A Palestinian official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said a final preparatory meeting was scheduled for Sunday "and if this meeting is succesful, the summit between Abu Alaa (Qorei) and the Israeli prime minister will take place next week."

The Israelis broke off top level contacts with the Palestinians in August last year after a massive suicide bomb in Jerusalem.

The bilateral roadmap peace plan has subsequently run into a dead end, leading Sharon to pledge to implement his own unilateral measures which will include the evacuation of most Gaza settlements.

Sharon is trying to secure US backing for his project and win over neighbouring Egypt and Jordan.