GAZA, Sept. 3 (Xinhuanet) -- Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said Saturday that he had met with Israeli Deputy Prime Minister Shimon Peres on Israel's delayed handover of Rafah crossing.

    Erekat told Voice of Palestine that he informed Peres the Palestinian side has no objection to a third party's participating in operating the Rafah crossing at the Egypt-Gaza border.

    Israel withdrew from all 21 settlements in the Gaza Strip and four in the West Bank in August, and is expected to complete the whole withdrawal process by the middle of September.

    However, the Palestinians insist some crossings, currently controlled by Israel, should also be transferred to the Palestinian side.

    Erekat, who attended an international conference in the Italian city of Milano on Friday, told the Palestinian radio that "during the meeting with Perez, we expressed rejection to transferring Rafah crossing to the Israeli communal farm of Kerem Shalom."

    The conference on challenges that face the Middle East in general was also attended by Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa, US Senator Jon MacLean and former Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar, Erekat said.

    Another international conference will focus later Saturday on the challenges that face the Middle East area of the Mediterranean sea in particular, said Erekat. Enditem