RAMALLAH, West Bank - Palestinian interior minister Nasr Yussuf held talks on Tuesday with Lieutenant General William Ward, the US security coordinator for the Middle East.
The two men were to discuss Israel's promised handover of five West Bank towns to Palestinian Authority control and bolstering Palestinian security, Palestinian security sources told AFP.
After weeks of stalemate, Israel on Monday agreed to transfer security responsibility to the PA in the town of Jericho at talks between Israeli Defence Minister Shaul Mofaz and Palestinian interior minister Nasr Yussuf.
Ward, who held talks with Mofaz on Monday, was appointed last month to coordinate security between Israelis and Palestinians amid stepped up international efforts to kick-start peace talks.
His mandate includes helping the Palestinians rejuvenate their security forces and to monitor compliance on both sides with security commitments made at last month's landmark Middle East peace summit.
03/15/2005 11:48 GMT