JERUSALEM - Israeli Deputy Prime Minister Shimon Peres met Palestinian civil affairs minister Mohammed Dahlan on Wednesday in the first talks between the two sides since a weekend suicide attack, Israeli radio said.
The meeting, which took place in Tel Aviv, concentrated on economic cooperation, but also touched on politics, the radio said.
It was the first official meeting between members of the Israeli government and the Palestinian administration since a Palestinian militant blew himself up outside a Tel Aviv nightclub last Friday, killing five Israelis.
Considered powerful in the Gaza Strip, Dahlan has recently had a series of meetings with Israeli Defence Minister Shaul Mofaz.
Friday's attack had cast a long shadow over the declaration of a ceasefire by Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Palestinian leader Mahmud Abbas at a Middle East summit last month.
03/02/2005 16:11 GMT