Report: Abbas denies talks of Palestinian state

Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas denied that Israel has renewed negotiations with him regarding the establishment of a Palestinian state, Israel Radio quoted Russian agencies as reporting, Sunday overnight. The reports were published shortly after Abbas landed in Moscow for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin and with Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. In other news, the Palestinian paper Al Ayam quoted Palestinian officials estimates that Abbas and Prime Minister Ehud Olmert would meet after US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's visit in Israel. The sources said Olmert and Abbas would meet possibly already next Sunday and that negotiations on a Palestinian state would be renewed during the projected meeting.