Abbas, Olmert plan talks ahead of Bush visit

Occupied Jerusalem: Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas are planning to meet ahead of US President George W. Bush's visit, an Israeli official said on Sunday.

Olmert and Abbas are to discuss “negotiations and core issues'', the official said, adding that no date has been set.

Core issues include Occupied Jerusalem, borders, settlements and refugees. Little progress has been made in peace talks amid Palestinian anger over continuing Israeli settlements.

Bush will be in the region for three days in an effort to promote Israeli-Palestinian peace, with an eye to creating an independent Palestinian state before he leaves office in 2009.

Olmert and Abbas had not been expected to meet before Bush's visit to Israel and the occupied West Bank later this week.

"We are examining the possibility of holding a meeting between Olmert and Abbas before the arrival of President Bush later this week," the official said.

Bush is set to spend three days in Palestinian and Israeli territories from next Wednesday in the first visit by a US president in nine years.