JERUSALEM, Jan. 27 (Xinhuanet) -- Israeli Vice Prime Minister Shimon Peres said Thursday he expected Prime Minister Ariel Sharon would renew talks with Palestinian National Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas in "days, not weeks," Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported.

    Arriving at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland,Peres said the development toward peace making in recent days "exceeds our expectations."

    "I think we can move faster than we thought earlier -- fasterand better if nothing wrong will occur," Peres said.He said it was important that progress be made in the politicaland security arena in keeping with progress made on the economical front.

    Earlier on Thursday, Mahmoud Abbas said he was waiting for anIsraeli response to his offer to declare a mutual ceasefire "assoon as possible."

    Also on Thursday, former Palestinian security chief Mohammed Dahlan said Israel has agreed "in principle" to withdraw forcesfrom West Bank cities and give Palestinians policing rights in those areas.

    Israel has said it would respond to "quiet with quiet," butofficials also said they were not interested in a ceasefire declaration, a remark repeated Thursday by Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom, who called the ceasefire a "ticking bomb." Enditem