GAZA, Sept. 3 (Xinhuanet) -- Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said on Saturday that he doesn't expect to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly gathering.

    Abbas confirmed to reporters that he would head to New York to participate in the UN General Assembly convention in mid September, but he doesn't expect to meet with Sharon there.

    "I think it won't be practical because everyone will be busy andit would be just a complementary meeting," said Abbas.

    He stressed that any future meeting with Sharon "has to be official and be part of our negotiations."

    Abbas said he would hold a series of meetings on Sept. 14 with US President George W. Bush, Russian President Vladimir Putin and British Prime Minster Tony Blair.

    "Those meetings would focus on helping the Palestinians to rebuild what had been destroyed by the Israeli occupation," Abbas said in anticipation of his first attendance at UN meetings as elected president of the Palestinians.

    In the meantime, Abbas said the occupation in the Gaza Strip is not over and there are still disagreements with Israel on the eastern and northern borders of the Gaza Strip.

    "Prime Minister Ariel Sharon until now has not shown any readiness to sit together with the Palestinians to discuss all the outstanding issues," Abbas said. Enditem