Olmert and Abbas to meet in Jerusalem

JERUSALEM // The Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert and the Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas will meet in Jerusalem tomorrow, a week after Mr Olmert threw US-sponsored peace talks into turmoil by announcing that he would step down. The Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said the meeting would take place at Mr Olmert's official residence in Jerusalem. "The president will raise a number of issues, such as the permanent-status issues, checkpoints and prisoners," he said.

Mr Olmert's spokesman, Mark Regev, confirmed that the meeting would take place. Faced with a widening corruption investigation, Mr Olmert announced last Wednesday that he would stand down as premier after a Sept 17 leadership contest within his centrist Kadima party. It could take months for a new Kadima leader to form a new government, possibly giving Mr Olmert some time to press ahead with the negotiations.

*Reuters