JERUSALEM, Nov. 27 (Xinhuanet) -- Israeli Deputy Prime Minister Shimon Peres is likely to join Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's new Kadima party, Israeli Army Radio reported on Sunday.

    Sharon sent adviser Uri Shani and Kadima parliament member Haim Ramon to meet with Peres on Friday and asked him to run in the upcoming national elections with Kadima, or at least not with Labor, the radio quoted Labor sources as saying.

    Sources close to Sharon told the radio that the prime minister preferred not to secure the number two slot in the Kadima list for Peres, but would do so if Peres demanded it as a specific condition for joining Kadima.

    Meanwhile, Labor officials said Labor Chairman Amir Peretz said he would not secure a place at the top of the Labor list for Peres.

    Peretz was elected Labor leader in this month's party elections,trouncing the veteran Peres.

    Sources close to Peres said he would not decide his political future until the last minute and definitely not this coming week.

    If Peres decides not to run for Knesset (parliament), he will end a record-long tenure in parliament that goes back to 1959.

    Sharon quit the right-wing Likud on Monday and established the Kadima, which means forward in Hebrew, to contend in the March 28 national elections, which were originally slated for November 2006.Enditem