Palestinian, Israeli officials prepare for PM meeting

    GAZA, Dec. 7 (Xinhuanet) -- Palestinian and Israeli officials meton Sunday somewhere in Israel to prepare for an expected meeting between Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei and his Israeli counterpart Ariel Sharon, Palestinian official sources said.

    The meeting ended without reaching any agreement on setting up adate for the meeting between the two premiers, the sources asserted.

    According to the sources, Saeb Erekat, Palestinian minister of negotiations affairs, Hassan Abu Lebda, Qurei's cabinet secretary general, and Salah Elleyan, Qurei's office chief, met with Israeli officials from Sharon's office.

    The meeting was aimed at preparing for an expected meetingbetween Qurei and Sharon after a similar meeting failed to set up adate for Sharon-Qurei meeting last week, the sources added.

    A statement issued by Qurei's office declared that the two sides agreed to meet again next week, and these meetings are "in the frame of preparing for the meeting between the two prime ministers." Enditem