Tuesday, February 8 2005 14:06 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Jerusalem: Israel and Palestinian Authority (PA) are set to make a formal declaration of ceasefire today (Feb 08,2005) at the regional summit in the Egyptian resort town of Sharm el-Sheikh.

"The most important thing at the summit will be a mutual declaration of cessation of violence against each other," Palestinian Cabinet Minister Saeb Erekat said yesterday (Feb 07,2005).

The US Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice, who was in Israel yesterday, had stressed upon the need to declare a formal ceasefire to kick-start negotiations "to which both the sides have consented", the head of Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei's bureau, Rafah Mismar, said after a joint press conference of the US official and PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas.

Israeli and Palestinian negotiators finalized the ceasefire agreement during preparations for the summit, media reports said.

Israeli sources said on conditions of anonymity that the recent concessions being given to the Palestinian Authority were meant to bolster the position of Abbas, which would help him in working out the ceasefire agreement with various factions.

The PA has deployed several thousand security-men to check attacks on Israel, leading to a relative lull in violence.

Israel has shown flexibility in its approach over the release of Palestinian prisoners and also promised to withdraw from the West Bank towns if quiet prevails on the ground and the PA takes adequate security measures.