The FINANCIAL — According to RIA Novosti, Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas will discuss with Egypt's president on October 27 arrangements for a new round of dialogue between rival Palestinian groups and the results of Egyptian talks with Israel.
The Palestinian ambassador to Cairo, Nabeel Amer, said Abbas planned to meet with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak to discuss the results of recent talks between Mubarak and his Israeli counterpart, Simon Peres.
Peres said on Thursday that Israel was ready for peace talks with all Arab nations in the "spirit" of the 2002 Saudi initiative that envisaged peace between Israel and the Arab world in exchange for Israel's withdrawal from Arab lands captured in 1967.
"Abbas will discuss Egypt's efforts to arrange Palestinian dialogue to be held in Cairo and the removal of blockade from the Gaza Strip," the Palestinian ambassador said.
Egyptian authorities proposed in mid-October bringing Palestinian groups together in Cairo on November 9 to discuss a new political settlement. Under the Egyptian plan, a single Palestinian government would be formed, presidential and parliamentary elections held, and the Palestinians' security services reformed.
Both the ruling Fatah group and Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip, supported the initiative, although Hamas was seeking changes to the document.
Abbas will hold talks with King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia on October 28.
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