The meeting scheduled on July 25 between US President George W. Bush and Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas would be a turning point for reaching a solution, former Palestinian chief negotiator Saeb Erekat said Tuesday.

It is necessary that the meeting between Abbas, also known as Abu Mazen, and Bush in the White House has to come up with a comprehensive implementation plan for the roadmap, Erekat said.

The meeting should set up timetables for the implementation of the US-backed peace plan as well as agree on sending international observers to the Palestinian territories, he added.

Bush is also due to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, who would be visiting Washington on July 29.

"There has been a series of meetings between Sharon and Abbas, as well as between PNA Minister of Security Affairs Mohammed Dahlan and Israeli Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz, but unfortunately we didn't reach any tangible solutions," Erekat said.

"We hope that the forthcoming meeting between Premier Abbas and President Bush would be decisive and final concerning the implementation of mechanisms, otherwise we can only expect the worse."

The situation in the Palestinian territories is "unbearable" due to the continuous Israeli army assaults, including military raid and aggressions, Erekat said, adding that the construction of separation wall in the West Bank is considered in breach of the Hudna (truce) signed between the Palestinians and Israel.

(Xinhua News Agency July 23, 2003)