The United States on Wednesday expressed welcome to the Jerusalem meeting between Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.

"It was an important, I think, and welcome development that Prime Minister Sharon and President Abbas met yesterday," deputy State Department spokesman Adam Ereli told a news briefing.

"There were certain issues on which there was agreement, there were certain issues on which there was disagreement. That is, frankly, to be expected given the nature of what they're trying to do," Ereli said.

What is noteworthy is that the leaders of the Palestinian Authority and Israel are working together, and "agreed to continue to work together to take advantage of the opportunity presented by Gaza withdrawal," Ereli said.

It was reported that at their summit, Sharon complained to Abbas that the Palestinian leader was doing little to rein in gunmen.

Sharon met in Jerusalem on Tuesday with Abbas over a planned Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip and part of northern West Bank. The Sharon-Abbas summit was the first since the two leaders declared in February a mutual cease-fire, which has been shaken by a spate of violence.

Israel plans to withdraw forces and some 9,000 settlers from all 21 settlements in the Gaza Strip and four out of 120 in the West Bank due to start in mid-August.

Source: Xinhua