Israeli and Palestinian negotiators for final-status talks ended their first meeting in Ramallah on November 8, saying the talks were "historic."

Talking to reporters After their two-hour meeting, Oded Eran, head of the Israel's final-status negotiating team, and his Palestinian counterpart Yasser Abed Rabbo, said the first meeting was a historic movement for the final-status talks, as well as for the entire Middle East peace process.

The first meeting was conducted in a friendly atmosphere, which could be described as "open, frank and without any barriers," Rabbo said.

During the meeting, both sides issued their respective statement regarding the principles for the final-status talks and discussed the specific agendas for future talks to be held at different levels, Rabbo added.

Both sides decided to hold two or three meetings a week and the next meeting will be held again in Ramallah on Thursday.

On his part, Eran said that "although we can not totally agree with what has been stated by Rabbo concerning the Palestinian principle policy for the final-status talks, the meeting opened the historic process for the final-status talks between us."

The Israeli side will make joint efforts with the Palestinians to reach agreements within the time-frame stipulated by the signed agreement, he said.

On the issue of the so-called "back channel" contacts between Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat as part of the final-status talks, Eran and Rabbo said there are no conflicts between meetings of leaders and negotiating teams.

Responding to Rabbo's call that Israel immediately halt the settlement activities which the Palestinians regard as illegal, Eren said the 1993 Oslo Accord and other signed agreements have already defined how this issue will be solved and this issue will definitely be resolved in the framework agreement by next February.

The two sides have different explanations of the United Nations resolutions 242 and 338, the Oslo Accord will serve as a solid base for reaching a permanent agreement between the two sides, Eran said.

Both sides also expressed their confidence that the framework agreement will be reached by the February next year. A final accord will be in place by September, 2000.