Sharon, Abbas Make Progress toward Peace in 2nd Summit Meeting

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Friday, May 30, 2003

Sharon, Abbas Make Progress toward Peace in 2nd Summit Meeting

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Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and his Palestinian counterpart Abbas held a three-hour meeting on Thursday evening for the second time in two weeks, to discuss the implementation of the internationally-backed roadmap to Middle East.

The meeting, which began at 9 pm (19:00 GMT) and ended before midnight, took place in Sharon's office in Jerusalem.

Sharon's office described in a statement that the talks was held in "positive atmosphere,", as a great achievement, Sharon agreed to order Israeli forces pullout from West Bank city centers.

Israel will free several dozen Palestinian prisoners, including two long-term detainees, according to the statement.

Abbas asked Sharon to evacuate Israeli forces from Gaza first,as higher chance of successful Palestinian resumption of security control in Strip.

"The prime minister (Sharon) demanded that his Palestinian colleague take vigorous action to halt terrorism and practical steps on the ground," according to the statement.

Those steps included "dismantling terrorist organizations, arresting terrorists and confiscating illegal weapons," said the statement.

It is said Sharon also proposed to Abbas that Israel will take gradual security control over areas from which the Israeli forces withdraws.

Palestinian officials said Wednesday that at the summit meeting they would demand an explicit Israeli statement recognizing their right to a state. But no Palestinian comment wasreleased yet.

The Abbas-Sharon meeting was seen as a preparatory session forWednesday's three-way summit with the US President George W. Bush in Aqaba of Jordan.

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