Israel's Olmert says to meet Abbas, Rice on Feb 19

JERUSALEM, Feb 6 (Reuters) Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said today he would hold a trilateral meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Feb. 19.

''The meeting will take place on the 19th,'' Olmert said in a speech to American Jewish leaders, referring to the meeting proposed by Rice during her recent visit to the region aimed at trying to revive long stalled peace talks.

Olmert did not say where the meeting would take place.

He also said he hoped Abbas, due to meet with Hamas leaders in Saudi Arabia tomorrow, would not forge a unity government with Hamas that stopped short of meeting Western demands to recognise Israel and renounce violence.

Abbas's Fatah movement and Islamic group Hamas have been locked in a battle for power that has spiralled into violence that has killed at least 90 people in the Gaza Strip since December.

The fighting erupted after Abbas angered Hamas by calling for early elections when talks to form a unity government failed.

Reuters SRS VP0032