(Adds confirmation, details)

JERUSALEM, Dec 23 (Reuters) - Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas will meet Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on Saturday at the Israeli leader's residence in Jerusalem, Olmert's office and a senior aide to Abbas said.

The meeting would mark the first between the leaders since Olmert assumed power in January after then Prime Minister Ariel Sharon suffered a stroke. Officials had worked for months to push for a meeting on long-stalled peace negotiations.

Abbas had said on Thursday he hoped to meet Olmert before the end of the year.

"The meeting will take place tonight at 8 o'clock (1800 GMT) in Olmert's house in Jerusalem," Saeb Erekat, a senior aide to Abbas, told Reuters.

A statement from Olmert's office said the two leaders would meet in Jerusalem on Saturday, without giving details. Spokesmen in Olmert's office had no immediate comment.

AlertNet news is provided by

Delicio.us  |   Digg  |   NewsVine  |   Reddit                                                                                  Permalink