JERUSALEM, May 17: The meeting between Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and his Palestinian counterpart Mahmud Abbas started Saturday at 9:30pm in west Jerusalem, said sources close to the Palestinian delegation.

However, Sharon’s office refused to comment.

Mr Abbas, who is to press Sharon to formally accept a US-backed Middle East peace plan, arrived in Jerusalem from Gaza City accompanied by Mohammed Dahlan, minister of state for security affairs, and parliamentary speaker Ahmed Qorei, the source said.

Mr Sharon was accompanied by his cabinet chief Dov Weissglas, General Yoav Galland and his legal advisor Shalom Turdjman, the source said.

The meeting, closed to the press, started little more than an hour after a suicide bomber killed himself and two Jewish settlers in the southern West Bank city of Hebron.

Earlier, Palestinian foreign minister Nabil Shaath said Mr Abbas “will try during this meeting to convince Sharon to accept the peace plan, better known as the roadmap, “as it is,” before the Israeli premier leaves on Sunday for talks in Washington with US President George W. Bush.

The roadmap, drawn up by the European Union, Russia, United Nations and United States, aims to end the 31-month intifada and establish a Palestinian state by 2005.

“We will immediately inform the Americans of the results of the Saturday night meeting,” Mr Shaath said, “so that Sharon cannot argue that he needs an additional delay before negotiating with the Palestinians.

“We want a clear Israeli response on the roadmap, and we will inform the Americans about that immediately and in detail.”—AFP