Abbas to Ask Sharon to Lift Siege on Arafat: Report

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Sunday, July 20, 2003

Abbas to Ask Sharon to Lift Siege on Arafat: Report

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Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas is expected to call for lifting the siege on Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat during his meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon at midday Sunday in Jerusalem.

According to a report of the local Ha'aretz Daily, the release of Palestinian prisoners will be the main subject of discussion during the fourth meeting of the two leaders since Abbas took office in late April. Israel Radio on Sunday quoted Palestinian sources as saying that Abbas will call for the release of some 450 prisoners held in Israel for over years.

Sharon is expected to tell Abbas that Israel will release some Islamic Jihad and Hamas prisoners with no "blood on their hands," reported Jerusalem Post on Sunday.

Sunday's meeting comes about 10 days after Abbas cancelled a scheduled meeting with Sharon for the sake of huge pressure on him from the Palestinian Liberation Organization chaired by Arafat, which considered Abbas's negotiations with Israel "soft".

In the coming days, the two prime ministers will travel to Washington separately to hold talks with US President George W. Bush on the progress made along the track of the US-sponsored roadmap plan for Middle East peace.

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