BEIJING, May 15 -- Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas is scheduled to meet US President George W. Bush in Washington on May 26, the New York Times said on Sunday, citing Palestinian officials.

    Abbas held off on the visit to Washington in order to be able to demonstrate serious progress to the Americans in his efforts toreform the Palestinian security services, end violence against Israeli civilians, clean up Palestinian finances and prepare for the Israeli transfer of the Gaza Strip to full Palestinian controlin late August, the report said.

    Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon visited Bush in Texas last month, and complained that Abbas was making little serious effort to dismantle Palestinian terrorism, instead trying to seduce radical Islamic groups like Hamas into politics, the report said.

    However, Bush was impatient with Sharon's complaints and told Sharon to work with Abbas, the report added.

    Bush invited Abbas to visit Washington immediately after Abbas won the Palestinian election last year. Enditem