Olmert, Abbas agree to continue working on future talks

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian National Authority (PNA) Chairman Mahmoud Abbas agreed on Sunday to continue their efforts in preparing for a future meeting between them, a spokeswoman from the prime minister's office told Xinhua.

Olmert called Abbas and had a very short conversation with him on Sunday afternoon, during which the Israeli leader gave Abbas his good wishes with the end of Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan, the spokeswoman said.

It is the first time for the two leaders to hold talks in three months since June.

Both the leaders agreed to continue exerting efforts to renew the Israel-Palestinian peace process, the spokeswoman added.

Israel demands to release of Israel Defense Forces soldier Gilad Shalit, who was kidnapped by Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip in a cross-border raid in June while Abbas, who has been working to try to secure Shalit's freedom, wants to get Israel's promise to free hundreds of Palestinian prisoners held in Israel.

Source: Xinhua