APTN

1. Palestinian Foreign Minister Nabil Shaath surrounded by media

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Nabil Shaath, Palestinian Foreign Minister:

"Well, I mean the questions discussed really related to the return to the peace process, the necessary support for our free elections, to have elections for presidential, legislative and local elections. That requires the voting of east Jerusalemites and that requires real security and pulling out of the cities and villages by the Israeli forces."

3. Various of Mahmoud Abbas, interim Palestinian leader, leaving

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Ahmed Qureia, Palestinian Prime Minister:

"And including the peace process, the road map with the disengagement...is this a new bypass to kill the road map? Or where should it be located, in what phase, the disengagement? In phase one? Let's say it's part of phase one. In phase two? Let's say it's part of phase two. Or let's say that it is the end, then everybody can take his position."

POOL

5. Powell walking out

6. Wide of media

7. SOUNDBITE (English) Colin Powell, US Secretary of State:

"I am very pleased to learn from them how seriously they are taking the upcoming election that will be held on the 9th of January. I am pleased with the level of coordination and cooperation that now exists between the Israeli government and Palestinian Authority to make sure that those elections can be held. The Israeli authorities said to me earlier that they will do everything that they can to commit freedom of movement and access for candidates as well as for voters on election day. Both sides seem confident that they will be able to work out a solution for the question of people living in Jerusalem to have their ballots counted as well."

8. Wide of media

9. SOUNDBITE (English) Colin Powell, US Secretary of State:

"The issue of security was discussed in both Jerusalem this morning and here in Jericho. In order for this process to move forward and for us to achieve our goals of a Palestinian state that will be living in peace side by side with Israel we have to make sure that terrorists are not committed to once again stop this process. Both sides understand the need for ending terror and ending the incitement to terror and providing security for people so they can live safely in their homes, where ever those homes may be in this land."

10. Powell leaving

US Secretary of State Colin Powell met Palestinian officials in the West Bank town of Jericho on Monday.

Among the officials he met were Palestinian interim leader Mahmoud Abbas, Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia and the interim Palestinian Authority president Rauhi Fattouh.

The Palestinians asked Powell to ensure that Israel withdraw troops from West Bank population centres ahead of the elections on January 9.

They said he did not pass along any specific Israeli commitments regarding the vote.

Israel reoccupied West Bank towns during a 2002 military offensive.

Troops have since withdrawn from some areas, but continue to enforce travel restrictions on Palestinians.

Palestinians say they need freedom of movement for the vote.

Powell arrived in Jericho from talks with Israeli leaders, who assured him that they would do their utmost to allow Palestinian elections to take place, including easing travel restrictions in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

In a sign of improving ties after four years of fighting in the region, Israeli officials also said they were willing to renew talks with the Palestinians on some issues, including security, and to coordinate the aftermath of Israel's planned withdrawal from Gaza and parts of the West Bank in 2005.

Israel had refused to negotiate with Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, who died on November 11.

Following the talks in Jericho, Powell said that the United States would do what it could to ensure peaceful elections.

He also called on Israel and the Palestinians to renew their commitments in the "road map" peace plan, which was launched in June 2003, but never got off the ground.

The plan requires Israel to freeze settlements in the first phase and asks the Palestinians to dismantle militant groups.

The United States supports the Israeli plans to the Gaza withdrawal, but has said it must be part of the road map.

The peace plan initially envisioned the establishment of a Palestinian state by 2005, but US President George W. Bush said recently that he'd be

pushing for Palestinian statehood in the next four years.

Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia has urged the United States to stick to the original timetable.

This demand was raised in Monday's meeting.

Powell said that while a Palestinian state should be established as soon as possible, it is up to Israel and the Palestinians to negotiate a peace

deal.

He reassured Palestinian officials that the United States did not consider the Gaza withdrawal as a replacement of the road map.