GAZA, May 25 (Xinhuanet) -- Palestinian Minister of Prisoners' Affairs Sofyan Abu Zayda said Wednesday that Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's announcement to release 400 Palestinian prisoners is a trick to avoid any US pressure.

    "Sharon wants to release 400 prisoners on the eve of the summit between Bush and Abbas to avoid expected American pressure to show good intentions toward the Palestinians to push forward the peace process," Abu Zayda told the press.

    Sharon promised to release 400 Palestinian prisoners on Tuesday, two days before the meeting between US President George W. Bush and Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas at the White House on Thursday. 

    However, Abu Zayda said the released prisoners would be subjected to Israeli criteria only and not to the agreed criteria of the joint Israeli-Palestinian committee.

    "Most of the prisoners that Israel would release are prisoners that had almost finished their terms or a short period of time had been left for them to be released," said the minister.  

    He added that the Palestinian side rejects holding any meeting with the Israeli side "as long as there are no Israeli initiatives and intentions to change their position toward prisoners, mainly those who were detained before Oslo agreements in 1994."  Enditem