WASHINGTON, May 24: Israel will release 400 Palestinian prisoners to ‘help’ Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Israel’s Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said here on Tuesday. “I do not intend to lose the opportunity” to talk with the new Palestinian leadership and “we will do our efforts to help (Mahmoud) Abbas as much as we can. When I return to Israel we will release 400 more prisoners,” Mr Sharon said at the close of the annual meeting of the American Israeli Public Affairs Committee.

The release is part of a total of 900 prisoners the Israeli government already had committed to free. To date it has freed 500. The announcement comes two days bhead a meeting scheduled for Thursday between President Bush and Mr Abbas.—AFP