JERUSALEM, Nov. 13 (Xinhuanet) -- Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon will meet his Palestinian counterpart Ahmed Qurei after Sharon returns from a trip to Italy next week, local newspaper Ha'aretz reported Thursday.

    After the Sharon-Qurei session, Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom will meet with Palestinian Foreign Minister Nabil Shaath, the report said.

    Sharon's office is still deliberating on how to approach Qurei, the report said, adding the hesitation is a result of Palestinian National Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat's renewed control over the Palestinian security services through the Palestinian National Security Council.

    But Sharon has promised to meet Qurei and is under mounting pressure to show some progress on the Palestinian front, according to the Ha'aretz report.

    Meanwhile, The Israeli foreign minister's office has already begun preparatory talks with the new Palestinian government ahead of the renewal of direct political contacts.

    Ron Prossor, the foreign minister's chief of staff, has met in recent days with Qurei's bureau chief, Hassan Abu Libda, as well as Shaath's bureau chief, Majdi Haladi.

    Both sides presented their expectations and discussed ways to make political progress, the report added.

    According to the report, Israeli Prime Minister Office bureau chief Dov Weisglass met with Abu Libda more than three weeks ago.

    In the meeting, Weisglass emphasized the importance of a war on terror, saying that without it there would be no progress. The Palestinians spoke of the importance of gradually building confidence.

    Since then, the two bureau chiefs have spoken by phone once or twice and meanwhile there have been ongoing contacts between Weisglass and Palestinian Finance Minister Sallam Fayadd. Enditem