Sharon: "I am going to see Mahmoud Abbas on the second of October"

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said yesterday that he would meet with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Oct. 2 and reiterated Israel's opposition to the participation of Hamas in the Palestinian legislative elections next year.

"I am going to see him on the second of October," Sharon told agroup of Jewish leaders in New York, where he attended the UN 60thanniversary summit last week. He repeated his calls for the Palestinians to implement their commitments under the roadmap peace plan before Israel resumes thestalled peace process. In his speech, Sharon also warned that Israel would not providesupport for the Palestinian in the Jan. 25 legislative elections if the militant group Hamas is allowed to take part. He listed two conditions for Hamas' participation in the polls -- disarmament and renunciation of its call for Israel's destruction. "It's not that we are not going to let them hold elections, butwe are not going to provide support unless they do these two things," he explained. Enditem, reported Xinhuanet.