GAZA, March 1 (NNN-KUNA) -- Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas will, in two weeks time, hold their third meeting to concentrate on ways of "furthering the dialogue", said the Haaretz Thursday.

The newspaper quoted a senior political source in Jerusalem as saying the meeting came "in view of the difficulties in forging a Palestinian unity government." Earlier this week, aides for the two leaders met to prepare for the Olmert-Abbas summit.

In Cairo on Tuesday, Abbas said he would meet Olmert in "a week or two." Olmert reiterated Wednesday during his meeting with the visiting EU commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner the preconditions for proceeding further with diplomatic talks with the Palestinians.

"My talks with the Palestinian President will deal with issues relating to containing terrorism and the quality of life of the Palestinians," he said.

He said he was unwilling to discuss the issue of a final settlement or the implementation of the second stage of the road map.

As an example of the improvements in the quality of life of the Palestinians, Olmert told the visiting EU official of his decision last week to extend the daily operating hours for the Karni crossing for goods in and out of the Gaza Strip