Quds city, June 22, SPA -- Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas met for more than two hours Tuesday in what one Palestinian leader described as "difficult" talks dominated by a discussion of terrorism. Palestinian Parliament Speaker Ahmed Qorei described the discussions as "preliminary," but he said the two sides had agreed to stay in contact. "Overall what was presented to us was not convincing and satisfying to us," Qorei said. "I said it was a difficult meeting. It was not up to the level of our expectations or the level of the expectations of many Arab and international parties that helped in organizing this meeting with the Israelis." CNN quoted Qorei as saying that the Palestinians reiterated their commitment to peace with Israel and to the cease-fire negotiated in Egypt. Ra'anan Gissen, a spokesman for Sharon, said the prime minister told Abbas, "we are willing to move forward" and went over a list of "gestures" that aides had discussed before the meeting.
