WASHINGTON, Dec 12: Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom on Friday called for the immediate resumption of peace talks with Palestinians and said Tel Aviv would unveil new plans to promote dialogue next week.

Mr Shalom, who briefed US Secretary of State Colin Powell on new “positive agenda” to improve the living conditions of the Palestinians, said Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon would make details public next week.

“We talked about many issues, including the plans of the Israeli government and the Israeli prime minister,” Mr Shalom told reporters after his meeting with Mr Powell.

Mr Sharon on Tuesday said the plan could include the forced evacuation of at least some Jewish settlements in the Palestinian territories, prompting an outcry from settlers groups.

He refused to elaborate on the steps Mr Sharon had in mind but said Israel was working hard to bring the Palestinians back to the negotiating table.

He pointed out that he had attended a donors’ conference for the Palestinians in Rome this week and had proposed a package that included an increase in the number of work permits for Palestinians and incentives dealing with tourism, fishing, water and infrastructure.

Mr Shalom expressed the hope that there would soon be a meeting between Mr Sharon and Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qorei, also known as Abu Ala.

“If the Palestinians are serious about it, we would like to resume negotiations with them immediately,” Mr Shalom said, stressing, however, that there could be no preconditions for talks.

“We are still waiting for the willingness of the Palestinians to have the summit between Prime Minister Sharon and Abu Ala and we hope that it will take place in the near future,” he said.

Speaking earlier on Israeli radio, Mr Shalom said he hoped the Sharon-Qorei meeting could be held next week but did not specify a date.

Mr Qorei, according to Israeli diplomats, has dropped preconditions for the talks, including one on the controversial construction by Israel of a separation barrier with the West Bank, clearing a major hurdle for the meeting.—AFP