Abbas calls for meeting Sharon to apply Sharm-el-Sheikh understandings

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has called for holding a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon for pushing forward the peace process and applying the understandings reached during the Sharm el-Sheikh meeting.

In statements following his meeting with Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the UAE Minister of Information, Abu Mazen said there is a plan for a meeting with Sharon but no date has been fixed.

Israeli sources said Dov Weisglass, the advisor of the Israeli Prime Minister, would meet next week with Saeb Erekat, the chairman of the PLO negotiations department, for discussing holding a Palestinian-Israeli summit this month.

Meantime, Egypt's Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul-Gheit on Sunday expressed Egypt's concern at the faltering implementation of Sharm El-Sheikh understandings and the ensuing damage to the positive climate under which the Sharm summit was held.

In messages to members of the International Quartet, namely the US, Russia, the UN and the EU, he affirmed the need to provide the utmost support to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and to avoid measures and practices that could constrain his efforts.

In the messages, sent on the eve of a meeting of the Quartet in Moscow, Abul-Gheit said its members should seize the opportunity to focus on restoring matters to the right path and ensuring the return to the honest and accurate implementation of the Sharm understandings.

Egypt will continue to cooperate and consult with the Quartet, he added.