Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, who kicked off his three-day visit to France, said in an interview with French daily Le Monde in its Tuesday edition that he wanted to see "serious action against terrorism" from Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

He said that his office or himself had a "daily contact" with the president of Palestinian Authority. "But I have not yet seen serious action from his part against terrorism. He is satisfied with small measures," Sharon said.

But he affirmed that the election of Mahmoud Abbas had "opened the possibility" of dialogue.

Over the situation in Gaza, Sharon reaffirmed the Israeli pullout and insisted that the withdrawal is a "preliminary stage" ahead of a more comprehensive peace plan.

Source: Xinhua